MAX Security Report [email protected] +44 203 540 0434

MAX Security Report Intel@Max-Security.Com +44 203 540 0434

Protest

Bangladesh Tactical: Awami League to hold 05 public rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on MAR March 7 to commemorate historic speech; 12:52 UTC maintain vigilance

Please be advised:

• The ruling Awami League party is reportedly scheduled to hold a rally in the Suhrawardy Udyan park premises in Dhaka on March 7 to commemorate UNESCO’s inclusion of a historic speech by former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to its world documentary heritage list. The rally is slated to draw attendance from thousands of workers representing party units at the city, district, and Upazila levels, who will march along streets in the capital on their way to the designated venue. Party officials have also indicated that the occasion will be used to assert the party’s stance on the jailing of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia on graft charges.

• Meanwhile, several thousand transport workers under the banner of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners-Workers Unity Council will reportedly join the rally in the afternoon hours (local time) on March 7 from bus terminals across the city including Gulistan, Saidabad, Mohakhali, Gabtoli, and Mirpur.

page 1 / 3 page 2 / 3

Assessments:

• Given the elevated levels of reverence for Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for his role in Bangladesh’s independence movement, the scheduled commemorative rally is anticipated to attract a significant public participation, likely in the high thousands, apart from activists of the ruling party and its student unions. The announcement of participation by the transport workers’ union further raises the scale of the turnout, given its strong mobilization capabilities. Statements by Awami League officials that Zia’s incarceration will feature in the party’s agenda on the day elevates the potential for localized altercations and unrest, especially if BNP activists hold ad-hoc protests to generate increased visibility for the case and public favor for the opposition leader.

• Irrespective of this, the event is expected to cause disruptions to traffic across the city on March 7, considering the intentions of participants to march along thoroughfares before congregating at Suhrawardy Udyan. Disruptions will likely be more pronounced in the vicinity of the park due to the movement of participants to and from the venue.

Recommendations:

1. Those operating or residing in the Dhaka on March 7 are advised to maintain vigilance due to the potential for localized unrest resulting from the scheduled commemorative event. 2. Further, we advise allotting for disruptions to travel citywide, especially in the vicinity of Suhrawardy Udyan, due to the expected heightened participation levels.

page 3 / 3