Once Bangladesh’s leading political party, the Awami League, has been illegal since its leader, Sheikh Hasina, was ousted during a mass uprising last year.
Currently, her supporters—emboldened by her social media calls to “resist”—are organizing impromptu protests despite the ban, as the country gears up for elections from which the party is excluded.
In Dhaka, 45-year-old cleaner Mohammad Kashem recounted seeing around 25 loyalists of the Awami League being chased, assaulted, and detained by police at one such demonstration.
“It’s happening all across Dhaka,” Kashem told AFP, noting that videos of these spontaneous protests frequently surface on social media.
“We see it every day on Facebook.”
The upcoming elections, anticipated in February 2026, will be the first since Hasina fled into exile in India after crowds stormed her palace, ending her 15-year tenure.
She continues to ignore court orders to appear at her ongoing trial on charges linked to crimes against humanity, which she allegedly committed by ordering a brutal crackdown during the uprising.
Her party and its supporters have since moved underground.
Officials report over 800 arrests related to these flash protests, which have unsettled interim leader Muhammad Yunus’s government as he oversees Bangladesh’s 170 million people until voting day.
Despite being banned, protests persist. Some involve just a few young men, while others attract more than a hundred, chanting slogans.
“Sheikh Hasina is coming!” they shout, holding small signs or unfurling banners. “Bangladesh is smiling!”
They gather briefly before melting back into the crowd.
At times, multiple protests happen simultaneously in different parts of Dhaka. Authorities have reported arresting 244 individuals on some days.
The risks are significant. During the rally Kashem observed, several protesters were badly beaten.
“Foolish boys,” Kashem said. “The top leaders have abandoned them… yet they keep risking their lives.”
Yunus’s government finds the protests troubling.
“The fascists are becoming reckless because they can see that the election and the trial of Hasina are moving swiftly,” Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, told reporters last month.
“The government has decided to tighten monitoring of these flash gatherings and other illegal assemblies.”
Meanwhile, Hasina remains active on social media, criticizing Yunus and encouraging supporters to “resist.”
Bangladeshi newspapers, citing a senior party leader in hiding, reported at least 20 such protests over the past month.
Dhaka police spokesman Md Talebur Rahman couldn’t confirm the exact number of protests but mentioned that more than 800 people have been arrested in connection.
Political analyst Zahed Ur Rahman, part of the government’s electoral reform team, suggests Hasina is risking her supporters’ safety to stay relevant.
“She’s trying to garner sympathy by sharing stories of beatings, chasing, dispersals, and arrests of her party members,” Zahed told AFP.
Human Rights Watch condemned the “draconian” ban on the Awami League.
“The interim government should avoid engaging in the same partisan tactics that Bangladeshis endured under Sheikh Hasina—such as imprisoning political opponents or suppressing peaceful dissent,” HRW’s Meenakshi Ganguly stated.
However, analysts believe these protests could complicate election preparations.
Police General Baharul Alam said various interest groups are trying to disrupt the election, including what he calls the “defeated axis.”
Tajul Islam, the chief prosecutor in Hasina’s in absentia trial, mentioned an ongoing investigation into the Awami League.
“Once the investigation is complete, appropriate action will be taken,” Islam assured.
Despite the crackdown, the Awami League remains defiant.
Senior leader Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, whose current whereabouts are unknown, insists that the protests stem from genuine “love” for Hasina.
He told AFP that he enjoys the chaos they cause.
“Have you noticed how these activities keep the government awake at night?” he said.
