Banned from elections, now breaking locks: Why Awami League workers are storming offices across Bangladesh | World News

Dhaka: Leaders and workers of the Bangladesh Awami League, which was banned from participating in the recently concluded national elections in Bangladesh, are reportedly breaking into party offices across the country. They even broke the locks in some places and entered. It started right after the election.

Party offices were closed after the Sheikh Hasina-led government was ousted in August 2024. So how do these offices open? Who gave the green signal to party workers to go ahead and take back their space?

During the interim government led by Muhammad Younis, the Awami League was not allowed to engage in political activities. Many of its offices across the country have been closed for months. Some were damaged or seized.

Once the elections ended and the new government led by Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) took office, political activity gained momentum. In Dhaka and many other regions, party workers gathered in front of offices with flags. Some cleaned dusty rooms and shouted slogans. This led to tensions as rival activists gathered in several towns and discussions turned into clashes.

Many in the Awami League believe that visiting party offices does not violate restrictions on the party. Senior leader AFM Bahauddin Nasim feels that the offices were never taken over by the state. Party members therefore see no obstacle to going there. Supporters expect normal political life to return as the current political phase passes and public activities reopen.

The government order essentially halted organized political activity. Restrictions were placed on broadcasts, campaigns, rallies, meetings and conferences. The restriction will continue until the cases filed against the party leaders in the international crimes court are concluded. Supporters argue that they are not violating any conditions because going to the party office is not prohibited.

Even during the restrictions, some activities continued from time to time. Small surprise marches were held on the streets of Dhaka and online campaigns continued. Before the election date was announced, calls for election boycott were made on social media.

Panchagarh video that led to fight

Momentum never completely faded away among the young supporters of the Awami League. Rehan Sardar, a student wing worker, remained away from his home area for months after the political uprising in August 2024. He hid and secretly traveled between safe places and participated in protest marches in the capital.

Messages were circulating among grassroots networks encouraging supporters to visit party offices wherever possible. Many workers interpreted the message as a call to show presence.

Meetings between organizers often took place via encrypted mobile applications. Senior party leaders were in touch with local leaders in the districts. The messages spread unofficially among fans. The aim was to keep the party active in the field.

Awami League workers and supporters began breaking into party offices after a video surfaced on social media showing activists opening an office in Panchagarh in the presence of a local BNP leader. After the clip started circulating online and triggered a political storm, BNP leader Abu Daud Pradhan said he did not know that the building belonged to the Awami League.

Shortly after, several more similar videos from other regions emerged on social media. Small protests were held outside party offices in Barguna, Thakurgaon, Satkhira, Betagi, Patuakhali and Khulna. Workers and supporters stood in front of the doors and chanted slogans. Some offices have reopened in areas like Narayanganj, Shariatpur, Noakhali, Jamalpur and Rajbari. Workers swept the floors, cleaned the walls and chanted party slogans.

The atmosphere did not remain calm everywhere. In some areas, rival political activists gathered after the doors of Awami League offices were opened. Offices were attacked again and locks were returned to the doors. The tension also spread to the streets.

Tension returns to the streets

A tense situation was seen at Tarakanda in Mymensingh. Protesters affiliated with the student movement and members of the National Citizen Party marched to the newly opened Awami League office. Tires were set on fire inside the facility. While smoke was rising over the building, the police came to the area and took the situation under control.

The roots of these events date back to the fall of Hasina’s government. In the following days, many Bangladesh Awami League offices across the country were attacked. Buildings were damaged, some were set on fire. Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s historic home in Dhaka, known as Dhanmondi 32, was also destroyed during the unrest.

Party leaders believe that many offices came under the control of rival groups during this period. The reopening campaign demonstrates the belief that the political landscape is changing again.

Small symbolic demonstrations in Dhaka also added to this sentiment. On February 14, several Awami League supporters stood outside the party’s head office and waved the national flag. A few days later, another video surfaced online showing women activists gathering in front of a building in Dhanmondi that was once used as a political office by the party president. Flags rose into the air and slogans echoed through the streets.

Political observers see several possible reasons behind the sudden reopening. They believe there may be an informal understanding between local leaders of the Awami League and the BNP. A newly elected government often tries to maintain stability in the political system. The absence of a major party can create long-term tension. Many Awami League supporters are still in the country and some are in prison.

Some analysts believe the reopening of offices could be an early sign that politics is returning to normal. The elections are over and a new government has come to power. At such times, political space often expands. The previous ban had kept the party out of the election but it may not decide its future permanently.