NCP-led protesters demand AL ban near CA’s residence

NCP activists stage a sit-in in front of the Chief Adviser’s residence on 9 May 2025. Photo: Collected

Supporters and student activists of the National Citizen Party (NCP), led by party leaders, continued an indefinite sit-in in front of the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, on Thursday morning, demanding a ban on the Awami League (AL).

The demonstration began at 10:00pm on Wednesday (8 May) and was still ongoing as of 9:00am Thursday.

“We will not leave until a clear roadmap for banning the Awami League is announced,” said Hasnat Abdullah, NCP’s Chief Organiser (South), who had earlier declared the protest through a Facebook post.

Members of the army, police, and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were deployed at the location, maintaining order as the protest continued.

Participants chanted slogans demanding that the Awami League be declared a banned organisation.

Earlier, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan announced that affiliated organisations of the ruling party—Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League—are set to be banned, with the process in its final stage.

In response, NCP leaders rejected the move as inadequate. NCP Convener Nahid Islam wrote on Facebook at 11:23pm, “The farce of banning Jubo League and Swechchhasebak League will not be accepted. Awami League must be declared a terrorist and fascist organisation. Provisions for trial as a party must be added to the ICT Act.”

Hasnat Abdullah echoed the demand in a separate post, adding, “We do not stand with any agenda that lacks a clear commitment to banning the genocidal Awami League.”

At 12:40am, Adviser Asif clarified via Facebook that the decision to ban the two affiliated organisations had been made earlier, and was not meant to undermine the movement.

“This is another step towards banning the Awami League,” he stated, expressing personal support for the demand.

He further wrote, “Awami League, as a political party responsible for genocide, has no right to engage in politics in Bangladesh. The pledge for July is to bring the perpetrators to justice and politically eliminate the Awami League.”

In a Facebook post at 10:24pm, shortly after the sit-in began, Nahid reiterated, “We will not leave the streets until a clear roadmap for trial, registration cancellation, and a full political ban on the Awami League is declared.”

He urged all forces of July, along with families of martyrs and the injured, to join the movement, affirming that the struggle would continue until justice is achieved.

Nahid and NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain joined the sit-in around 1:00am.