Banned Hizb ut-Tahrir attempts ‘March for Khilafat’
Staff Reporter :
Police deployed batons, tear gas shells, and sound grenades to disperse members of the banned group Hizb ut-Tahrir as they attempted to hold a procession under the “March for Khilafat” banner in Dhaka on Friday.
Defying police barricades, hundreds of participants chanting “Khilafat Khilafat” commenced their march from the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque following Jummah prayers, heading towards Paltan.
At approximately 2 pm, police initially attempted to halt the procession using whistles, verbal warnings, and physical obstructions but were unable to control the crowd. Army personnel later joined security forces as efforts to disperse the demonstrators continued.
After setting off from the North Gate of Baitul Mukarram, the protesters proceeded through Purana Paltan, took a U-turn at Bijoynagar Panir Tanki, and then attempted to regroup in Purana Paltan, where they faced police intervention.
As they attempted to reassemble, law enforcement responded with tear gas and sound grenades, causing the crowd to disperse.
Following the police action, the protesters scattered into smaller groups, seeking refuge in nearby alleys.
Security personnel, including police, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and army units, remain deployed in the area to prevent any further attempts at regrouping. The situation remains tense, with authorities maintaining strict surveillance.
Hizb ut-Tahrir members twice regrouped and attempted to hold a procession despite police resistance. They managed to march for approximately 15 minutes without intervention before the crowd was eventually dispersed.
Several individuals were taken into custody by law enforcement, with reports indicating that at least 30 people were detained.
Purana Paltan has now been cleared, and all members of Hizb ut-Tahrir have been dispersed. At approximately 2:46 pm, Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Md Masud Alam informed reporters that “the group’s members have taken refuge in various alleys, while law enforcement remains on high alert.”
Earlier, the police had warned that any activity involving the banned organisation would be treated as a punishable offence under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009. Security had been heightened around the Baitul Mukarram area since the morning in anticipation of the group’s planned event, with police, RAB, and Detective Branch (DB) personnel conducting searches in and around the mosque.
Earlier in the day, the Police Headquarters issued a statement reiterating that Hizb ut-Tahrir remains a banned organisation in Bangladesh and warned that any gatherings, processions, or distribution of materials associated with the group would be met with legal action.
This warning followed the recent appearance of posters across the capital urging people to join the “March for Khilafat.”
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit arrested three members of Hizb ut-Tahrir in the capital’s Uttara area early on Friday.
Hizb ut-Tahrir was banned in Bangladesh on 22 October 2009 on the grounds that its activities posed a threat to public security under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009. According to this law, all activities-including meetings, rallies, processions, and the distribution of promotional materials-by any banned organisation are considered criminal offences.