Protesters vowed to continue the Shahbagh intersection blockade until an official government notification banning the Awami League is issued.
As of 10:30 PM Friday, demonstrators—divided into multiple groups—continued their sit-in, vowing not to vacate the area until the ban is formally declared.
On-site observations reveal groups of protesters chanting slogans such as “Ban Awami League now!”, “There will be no place for Awami League in Bengal,” and “The people’s revolution of July must rise again.” Many carried national flags and banners calling for the ruling party’s political activities to be outlawed.
Participants include members and supporters of several political and religious groups including the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), Islami Chhatra Shibir, Khelafat Majlish, Islami Oikya Jote, and Khelafat Andolon. Notably, Mufti Jasim Uddin Rahmani, a controversial religious figure, was also seen among the demonstrators.
From beneath a large billboard at Shahbagh, NCP activists chanted slogans demanding the immediate proscription of the Awami League. Sarjis Alam, NCP's chief organizer in the northern region, declared, “We will not return home until the ban is officially announced. Shahbagh will become the grave of the Awami League.”
He warned the government of an even larger uprising if the demand is not met promptly: “If the interim government delays, we won’t just block Shahbagh—we’ll blockade all of Bangladesh.” He also called for the official declaration of the “July People’s Uprising Charter.”
Maryam Khanam, wife of July Uprising martyr Mahmudur Rahman Khan Sohel, also spoke, saying, “The ban on Awami League is a matter of life and death for us. Why has it not happened yet, even after August 5? Why are we still forced to protest?”
Mufti Sakhawat Hossain, Secretary General of Islami Oikya Jote, said, “We’re here not as party members, but as citizens demanding justice.” Similarly, Mufti Azizul Haque Islamabadi, Joint Secretary General of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh, stated, “Awami League must not be allowed to operate politically in Bangladesh any longer. Their ban is imperative.”
The Shahbagh blockade was announced earlier in the day by Hasnat Abdullah, NCP’s southern regional organizer, from a stage near the fountain adjacent to the interim Prime Adviser’s residence at Jamuna. Following the announcement, protestors marched to Shahbagh and began their sit-in around 4:45 PM.
The movement follows a nighttime sit-in that began Thursday near the Prime Adviser’s residence, where demonstrators demanded a clear roadmap for the trial of the Awami League and the termination of its political activities.
According to NCP leaders, the blockade will remain in place until a government gazette officially bans the Awami League, a party they accuse of being anti-democratic and anti-sovereignty.
