Thousands of people from various districts flocked to Shahbagh in Dhaka early on Monday, drawn by promises of interest-free loans ranging from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1 crore.
However, the rally, which was set to take place at Shahbagh Intersection at 10:00am, turned out to be part of a scam.
In connection with the incident, police arrested ABM Mustafa Amin, the Convener of 'Nonviolent Mass Uprising Bangladesh,' along with 18 others involved in orchestrating the fraudulent scheme.
According to leaflets found with the attendees, the scam promised interest-free loans funded from "looted money brought back to the country."
Upon discovering the planned rally, Dhaka University (DU) students and law enforcement began removing the crowds from the Shahbagh area and DU campus starting at midnight. By early morning, police had apprehended 15 to 20 individuals suspected of having ties with the ruling Awami League, Juba League, and the Chhatra League and took them to Shahbagh Police Station.
Authorities suspected the rally was intended to destabilise the country.
The attendees, many of whom had travelled from various districts, expressed that they had been deceived by the platform's organisers, who had promised them interest-free loans, luring them to Dhaka.
From 4:00am to 9:00am, DU students inspected buses and microbuses arriving on the campus and questioned the outsiders. Most admitted they had come in hopes of receiving the loans.
Some promotional leaflets from the platform were also recovered from them.
The leaflets, featuring images of ABM Mustafa Amin, claimed that the 'looted money' would be used to provide capital for interest-free loans, with a message that criticised different regimes for corrupt practices, including VAT and taxes that allegedly exploited farmers, workers, hawkers and the unemployed.
The leaflets also announced a sit-in at Shahbagh on November 25, demanding the creation of a special anti-corruption law, and invited individuals to join the movement, offering loans ranging from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 1 crore without interest or collateral, claiming this would help people escape poverty.
DU Proctor Associate Prof Saifuddin Ahmed explained that the Proctorial Mobile Team had been active since midnight, working to control the influx of outsiders and vehicles.
He said that assistant proctors were stationed from early morning, and they informed law enforcement, which led to a large police presence on the campus.
"The team successfully removed outsiders, handing some over to the police," he told reporters.
In Lakshmipur, local police and army personnel detained 11 individuals on Sunday night who were allegedly involved in transporting people to Dhaka for the rally. Authorities also impounded 10 vehicles, including three buses and seven microbuses, after locals prevented over 200 people from leaving for Dhaka.
Earlier, on November 22, the Nonviolent Mass Uprising Bangladesh at a press briefing at the National Press Club announced plans to hold a solidarity rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 25, calling for the enactment of a special anti-corruption law. Md Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury, a member of the platform, read out the written statement during the briefing.
Talking to The Daily Observer, Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Khalid Mansur confirmed that Mustafa Amin and 17 to 18 others were detained for questioning, and preparations were underway to file case against them.
