Banned Bangladesh party turns to flash protests ahead of polls
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The banned Awami League stages flash protests across Dhaka ahead of Bangladesh's 2026 elections, challenging Muhammad Yunus' interim government.
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Protesters wave national flags as they stand over the Anti Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture during a protest in Dhaka on August 4, 2024. (AFP)
The banned Awami League, once Bangladesh's largest political party, has turned to flash protests in the streets of Dhaka as the country braces for the 2026 general elections. The banned party, whose leader, Sheikh Hasina, fled into exile in India following her ousting last year, is defying state restrictions through swift, spontaneous gatherings.
Despite being outlawed, loyalists to the former prime minister have heeded Hasina’s calls on social media to "resist", organizing brief rallies that often end in arrests and clashes.
In Dhaka, 45-year-old cleaner Mohammad Kashem told AFP he witnessed around 25 Awami League supporters being chased, beaten, and detained by police. "It’s happening all over Dhaka," he said, noting that protest footage floods social media daily.
The upcoming elections, expected in February 2026, will be the first since Hasina’s 15-year rule ended in a mass uprising that stormed her palace. Since then, she has refused to return for trial, where she faces charges related to crimes against humanity for allegedly ordering a deadly crackdown during the revolt. With the Awami League ban still in place, the party’s operations have largely moved underground.
Reports indicate over 800 arrests connected to the protests in recent weeks, alarming the Muhammad Yunus interim government.
Over 800 arrested amid political unrest
Some flash protests involve only a handful of young men, while others attract over 100 people, chanting slogans such as "Sheikh Hasina is coming!" and "Bangladesh is smiling!" They carry small placards and banners before vanishing into the crowd. On one day alone, authorities said 244 people were detained.
According to Kashem, some protesters have been severely beaten. "Stupid boys," he said. "The heavyweight leaders abandoned them... yet they’re risking their lives."
The interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus has intensified its response to the unrest. Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam accused the former ruling party of sowing chaos: "The fascists have turned reckless, as they can see that the country is heading towards an election and the trial process (of Hasina) is progressing fast," he told reporters.
BREAKING: Bangladesh police are FIRING SHOTS at protesters.
— Steve Hanke (@steve_hanke) August 4, 2024
After Sunday's protests left over 40 people dead, a CURFEW and INTERNET BLACKOUT have been imposed.
AUTHORITARIAN PM HASINA BETTER START LOOKING FOR THE EXIT DOOR.pic.twitter.com/AP0EKq4BB4
Authorities have pledged to step up surveillance and enforcement against what they label as "illegal gatherings."
Rights organizations have condemned the government’s approach. Human Rights Watch criticized the "draconian" ban on the Awami League and warned the interim government against replicating the same authoritarian tactics used under Hasina.
"The interim government should not be engaging in the same partisan behaviour that Bangladeshis had to endure under Sheikh Hasina," said Meenakshi Ganguly of HRW.
