Highlights:
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25 former and current Awami League-affiliated leaders arrested by DB.
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Plan to release 100,000 gas balloons near Jamuna State Guest House and across Dhaka.
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Balloons carried banned Awami League slogans.
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Police say the act aimed to cause public panic and disrupt law and order.
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DB divisions across Dhaka led coordinated operations over 24 hours.
The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested 25 individuals for allegedly planning to release one lakh gas balloons carrying banned Awami League slogans in Dhaka. The balloons were intended to be flown near the Jamuna State Guest House and other key city locations between November 10 and 12.
According to police, the group’s objective was to create public unrest and disrupt law and order through surprise rallies and symbolic balloon releases. The DB conducted simultaneous operations across multiple divisions in the past 24 hours, resulting in the arrests.
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Among those detained are several former leaders of the now-banned Awami League and its front organizations, including local-level presidents, secretaries, and committee members from Dhaka and other districts.
The arrested include:
- Rupchan Bepari (President, Nawpara Union Sramik League)
- Abrar Khan Tahmid alias Tahmid Ashraf (22)
- Raihan Khan Azad (27)
- A.B.M. Nurul Haque alias Choton Chowdhury (69)
- Md. Abul Kalam Azad alias Bablu
- Md. Gias Uddin Khokon (70)
- Md. Mizanur Rahman Bhuiya
- Md. Sirajul Islam alias Ahmad Ali (40)
- Md. Jasim alias Billal, Md. Mahbub Rahman (55)
- Md. Jahangir Alam (40)
- Engineer Abul Kalam (40)
- Md. Shahjalal (38)
- Md. Delowar Hossain alias Palash
- Yunus Sardar (45)
- Md. Akbar Hossain (52)
- Md. Abu Sayeed (56)
- Md. Shamsuddin Ahmed Selim (62)
- Raihan Uddin Rehan (51)
- Md. Mejbah Uddin Prince (43)
- Morium Parvin
- Md. Nasir Sarkar alias Golakata Nasir (54)
- Ali Hossain (31)
- Md. Manik Khondokar (52)
- Md. Habibur Rahman Kamal (42).
DB officials said that the operation was part of a broader security effort to prevent acts of political sabotage in the capital. Authorities confirmed that the arrested individuals were actively coordinating via online platforms and local cells to execute the mass balloon launch.
“আপনার ব্যবসা এখন অনলাইনে— Storola-এর সাথে সহজ ও স্মার্টভাবে!”
A senior DB officer stated that such symbolic actions were designed to provoke unrest and to “visibly challenge the state ban” on the former ruling party’s political activities. The officer emphasized that law enforcement agencies remain on high alert ahead of upcoming political anniversaries and gatherings.
Each DB division—Mirpur, Ramna, Cyber, Motijheel, Wari, Uttara, Tejgaon, Lalbagh, and Gulshan—played a role in the simultaneous raids that led to the arrests.
Police added that the detainees were being interrogated for further leads, and legal actions are being initiated under relevant sections of the Penal Code and the Special Powers Act.
Source: Kaler Kantho
