Bangladesh deploys troops to Dhaka ahead of Awami League anniversary

Bangladesh sent troops back into Dhaka and five other districts through June 30, tightening security ahead of the Awami League’s founding anniversary and signaling how volatile the date has become in a country still living with the political shock of Sheikh Hasina’s fall. The move came just a week after the army began withdrawing from domestic field duties on June 15, ending nearly two years of deployment.

The Home Ministry order covered Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Faridpur, Gopalganj and Chattogram, while the Dhaka Metropolitan Police said it would put more than 18,000 officers and personnel on the streets on June 23. Police planned special pickets, checkpoints and intelligence operations around the capital as officials tried to block any gathering that could turn the anniversary into a test of state control.

The anniversary carries unusual weight this year. The Awami League, founded on June 23, 1949, is marking its 77th year, but its activities have been banned since 2025. Authorities have linked the security buildup to fears that supporters could still attempt sabotage, unlawful activity or street protests despite the prohibition. For a party that long dominated Bangladesh’s political life, the date remains both symbolic and combustible.

That tension reflects the unfinished aftermath of the July Uprising of 2024, when student-led protests widened into a nationwide movement that helped topple Hasina’s government. She resigned and fled to India on August 5, 2024, after nearly 300 people were killed in the violence and crackdown. The anniversary now falls against that memory, with the state treating even routine mobilization as a possible challenge to order.

The renewed deployment also shows how dependent the interim authorities remain on extraordinary security measures. In practical terms, the troops are meant to keep the streets calm. Politically, the deployment underscores a deeper question about legitimacy: whether Bangladesh is using normal policing to manage dissent, or military force to deter opposition activity before it can surface.