Staff Correspondent

A group of students have beaten up several people and handed them over to police for chanting slogans like ‘Joy Bangla’ and ‘Sheikh Hasina will return’ in front of the Awami League’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital’s Gulistan.

Since Sunday morning, police have been interrogating any 'suspicious’ individuals in the area.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Motijheel Division) Shahriar Ali said: “At least 12 people have been taken into custody near the Awami League office and Noor Hossain Square area since the morning.”

“If anyone seems suspicious, the students are detaining them and handing them over to us. We have taken 10-12 people into custody so far.”

According to Shahriar, policemen are working in the field to bring the situation under control.

However, he did not reveal the names of the detainees.

BNP leaders and activists and members of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement began taking up positions at Noor Hossain Square and its surrounding areas after the Awami League announced their first street programme at the location since the party was ousted from power.

According to witnesses, BNP leaders and activists beat and handed over several individuals to police custody on suspicion of being Awami League activists. Some of the detainees chanted ‘Joy Bangla,’ while others chanted ‘Sheikh Hasina will return home’.

Around 1pm, an elderly man was beaten up and taken into police custody after chanting ‘Joy Bangla’ in public.

Jubo League leader Noor Hossain was killed on Nov 10, 1987, during the anti-Ershad movement. Many political parties hold events to commemorate the day.

On Saturday, the Awami League announced a rally at Noor Hossain Square for Sunday to mark the occasion. It is one of the first programmes announced by the party since the Sheikh Hasina-led government was brought down by a mass uprising on Aug 5.

On Saturday night, a group of people gathered at Gulistan’s Zero Point to counter the programme called by the Awami League. Leaders and activists of the Chhatra Dal were also seen protesting there.

Meanwhile, Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor Shafiqul Alam said that the government will not allow any such programme.

After 9am, leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliate organisations gathered in front of the Awami League headquarters and chanted slogans.

Various other organisations, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh, BaSaD, and Gono Odhikar Parishad, paid their respects with flowers at Noor Hossain Square.

Meanwhile, the members of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement took a stand at Gulistan’s Zero Point as a part of its counter-programme around 12pm.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Talebur Rahman of the Media and Public Relations Division said: “No one will be allowed to cause unrest in the name of a programme. Security measures in Dhaka have been organised with that in mind.”