Dhaka, February 25 According to reports in newspapers on Wednesday, the chief of the northwestern Rajshahi range of the Bangladesh police has ordered that leaders and activists of the banned Awami League, who were released on bail after court orders, be arrested again by "involving them in other cases".
"Leaders and activists of banned or suspended fascist organizations who are being released on bail and are capable of strengthening, reorganizing the party, and demonstrating activities at the grassroots level, must be shown arrested in other cases after their bail," Deputy Inspector General of Police's Rajshahi range Mohammad Shahjahan said.
The mass circulation Ittefaq and several other newspapers obtained a copy of the order, which, however, stated that those who do not possess "such characteristics do not need to be shown arrested for now".
Shahjahan signed the order two days ago, asking police units covering eight northwestern districts under his purview to follow the order, calling the matter "important".
The interim government of Muhammad Yunus disbanded the activities of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League last year under an executive order, while a violent student-led street protest, the July Uprising, toppled her government on August 5, 2024.
Since then, Hasina has been living in India, while the interim regime sent several thousands of her party leaders and workers to jail, prompting many others to be on the run at home and abroad.
The courts across the country in the past several days ordered the release of some of them on bail after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) assumed power following this month's election.
Approached by reporters, Shahjahan said the order did not mention any specific political party or organization by name.
"We did not mention any specific political parties or organizations. As they are already banned, we instructed our officials to apprehend or show them arrested in other cases if they try to destabilize the country again after getting bail," he said.
