Bangladesh Police Use Tear Gas to Disperse Islamist March in Dhaka

Police in Bangladesh’s capital used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse a large gathering of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, a banned Islamist group, during their ‘March for Khilafat’ on Friday, Arab News reported. Hundreds of activists, chanting “Khilafat, Khilafat,” gathered at Baitul Mukarram Mosque after Friday prayers, defying police warnings against public meetings.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police had previously cautioned banned organizations against holding rallies, but the demonstrators proceeded despite barricades. Witnesses reported that police struggled to control the crowd, leading to the use of crowd dispersal measures.

Hizb-ut-Tahrir has been banned in Bangladesh since October 2009 due to concerns over national security. The London-based group advocates for the establishment of a pan-Islamic state but claims to pursue its goals through peaceful means. Bangladesh, with a population of 170 million, has faced ongoing political unrest since an interim government took power following significant protests.