The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested nearly 3,000 Awami League leaders and activists over the past ten months for joining flash processions across the capital, officials said.
Police say many of those detained were paid to participate, with investigators seeking the financiers behind the gatherings. But observers argue that repeatedly mobilizing law enforcement to chase brief street demonstrations is unsustainable and diverts limited government resources from public safety and essential services.
The crackdown follows the interim government’s ban on the Awami League and its affiliates over alleged crimes during the July 2024 uprising.
Critics warn that the cycle of arrests and flash protests risks prolonging instability instead of restoring order.