Bangladesh on High Alert Ahead of Banned Awami League Anniversary

Bangladesh authorities issued a nationwide security alert on Saturday (June 20, 2026) citing intelligence of potential unrest linked to the founding anniversary of the now-disbanded Awami League, the party of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told a press conference that law enforcement agencies have been directed to maintain maximum vigilance and prevent any sabotage or disruption of public order surrounding June 23, the party’s founding date. Ahmed described the Awami League as a “mafia organisation” and said the interim government does not recognise it as a political party.

Earlier, police headquarters circulated an internal note warning that Awami League leaders and activists might attempt to hoist party flags and hold marches at local offices, potentially sparking clashes with activists from the student-led National Citizen Party. The note urged field units to remain alert.

However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police said there was no specific threat but confirmed heightened alert. The Awami League has not issued any public statement on its online platforms, but some media reports indicated activists were directed to hoist flags and stage flash processions.

Police have arrested at least 103 Awami League leaders and activists in targeted operations across major cities, including Dhaka, as of Saturday. On June 2, police in Chattogram arrested 68 party members on charges of plotting sabotage and holding unauthorised marches.

The Awami League, founded in 1949, is Bangladesh’s oldest political party and led the country’s 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan. It was disbanded by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government after Sheikh Hasina’s government fell on August 5, 2024, following the July Uprising—a violent student-led protest. The party was also barred from participating in the February 2026 elections, which saw the Bangladesh Nationalist Party come to power, with Tarique Rahman sworn in as prime minister.