Interim Government's Advisory Council convened an emergency meeting on Saturday night at the state guest house Jamuna.
The meeting began at 8:00 PM, as confirmed earlier by the Press Wing of Chief Adviser’s office.
While the agenda of the meeting has not been officially disclosed, sources suggest that key topics may include the demand for banning the Awami League, the ongoing India-Pakistan conflict, and the mass protests under the "Shahbagh Blockade" campaign.
A press briefing is expected to be held later tonight outside Jamuna following the conclusion of the meeting.
On the other hand, as no roadmap to ban Awami League was announced within an hour, protesters launched a ‘March to Jamuna’ from Shahbagh on Saturday night. Police blocked them near Hotel InterContinental. NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah earlier warned of the march.
At 9:20 PM, Dhaka University students marched across the campus chanting slogans demanding a ban on the Awami League.
Mass protests erupted across Bangladesh on Saturday, with thousands converging at Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection, demanding the immediate banning of the Awami League and the fulfilment of three key demands.
During a late-night address on Friday, Hasnat Abdullah outlined three point demands include, banning Awami League, amending tribunal laws for collective trials, and issuing the July Declaration for governance reform.
The mobilisation, spearheaded by the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), marks the second consecutive day of unrest, bringing parts of the capital to a standstill and drawing support from numerous political and civil groups.
According to eyewitnesses, students, youth groups, and political activists began assembling from early morning, chanting slogans such as “Ban Awami League,” “No Compromise, Only Struggle,” and “One Two Three Four, Awami League No More.” Movement organisers claimed the rally would continue indefinitely unless the government declares the ruling party a terrorist organisation and meets the three-point charter declared earlier this week.
Hasnat Abdullah warned, “We’ve held this sit-in for over 25 hours, and it will not end until these demands are met. Tomorrow at 3 PM, we will hold a mass gathering here, joined by all forces of July.” He later called on supporters not to block major roads or highways outside of Shahbagh but to rally peacefully in every district.
Adding legal weight to the protests, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman stated that Awami League could be banned using Section 19 of the 1974 Special Powers Act, enacted under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Citing UN reports, he alleged the party’s involvement in the July uprising that left over 2,000 dead and 30,000 maimed. “The regime has committed crimes against humanity, with 700 murders and over 4,500 extrajudicial killings in the past 17 years,” he said at a public forum in Jhenaidah.
The movement drew widespread sympathy when Fatiha, widow of slain activist Shahjahan, arrived at Shahbagh holding her five-month-old child. “My husband was gunned down before seeing his child’s face. Banning Awami League is not just political. It is personal justice,” she stated.
At 2:15 PM, students of Dhaka College joined the rally, marching from Science Lab to Shahbagh. Their slogans echoed past grievances, including the killing of protesters and enforced disappearances. “If two thousand people were killed during the July uprising, what more evidence is needed to ban this party?” one student asked.
Dr. Tuhin Malik proposed a four-track strategy to ban Awami League: enforce the August 5 mandate, issue executive orders, amend tribunal laws for political trials, and enshrine the ban in the new constitution to ensure permanent legal and constitutional exclusion of the party from Bangladesh’s political landscape.
He warned, “History shows fascist regimes never return once defeated. If Awami League comes back, history itself will be betrayed.”
To consolidate efforts, Hasnat Abdullah announced the formation of a new platform, 'Fashibadbirudhdhi Jatiyo Oikko' (National Unity Against Fascism), bringing together students, political parties, and civil society groups. “This is not the fight of one party; it is the united fight of the people,” he declared.
Shahbagh and surrounding areas like TSC, Banglamotor, and DU campus remain gridlocked, with emergency services allowed limited access. Police and paramilitary units are on high alert. As night approached, LED screens played footage of alleged Awami League atrocities, fuelling tensions.
While major opposition parties like Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have not joined the sit-in, many of their youth wings and regional committees have voiced solidarity. As of Saturday evening, protesters showed no signs of dispersing.
Previously, on Friday BNP leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said the decision to ban Awami League lies with the Election Commission and government, not BNP.
Rashed Khan, General Secretary, Gono Odhikar Porishad criticised attempts to recreate Shahbagh protests, calling it foolish. He mocked shifting from Jamuna to Shahbagh under pressure and questioned whether future protesters would receive comfort like cold water, or face harsh treatment such as hot water, baton charges, and arrests instead.
Concluding the day’s events, Hasnat Abdullah addressed supporters, “If I am forced to withdraw due to illness or pressure, don’t stop. Carry this torch forward. This is the people’s struggle, not mine alone.”
Whether the government responds to the mounting pressure remains uncertain. However, the scale, emotion, and coordination of this anti-Awami League movement has marked a significant chapter in Bangladesh’s political landscape.
