Qawmi students withdraw protest; Brahmanbaria DC says NCP can't use Shilpakala for political event

The Qawmi Students Unity Council has withdrawn its scheduled programme at the Brahmanbaria District Shilpakala Academy after NCP leader and MP Hasnat Abdullah expressed regret over his recent parliamentary remarks, but the district administration has said the political party cannot hold its programme at the venue.

The Qawmi Students Unity Council announced the withdrawal around 2:30pm today (29 August), following discussions with NCP leaders, according to sources.

Abdul Khalek, a member of the convening committee of the Brahmanbaria Qawmi Chhatra Oikya Parishad, said, "Hasnat Abdullah has expressed regret. In view of this, the scheduled programme of the Qawmi Chhatra Oikya Parishad has been withdrawn. We will have no objection to the NCP's event."

However, Deputy Commissioner Md Abu Sayeed said the NCP had informed the administration that it would hold an indoor event at the Shilpakala Academy, but did not identify it as a political programme.

"They cannot hold their event there. The NCP informed us that they would hold an internal, indoor event at the Shilpakala Academy. But they did not mention that it would be a political gathering. Therefore, we cannot grant permission in that manner because the Shilpakala is not intended for any political event," he said.

The Brahmanbaria district unit of the NCP had scheduled an organisational coordination meeting and political workshop at the auditorium for 4pm today.

The development came after tensions escalated over Hasnat's remarks in Parliament on Thursday (27 August), when he criticised the government over its response to the cancellation of cultural programmes in Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria.

Late last night, madrasa students under the banner of the Qawmi Students Unity Council staged a demonstration protesting Hasnat's remarks and said they would resist the NCP event unless he apologised.

The students later announced an Islamic cultural programme at the same venue for 3pm today, where the NCP event was scheduled to take place.

Around noon today, Hasnat posted on his verified Facebook account saying a misunderstanding had been created among the people of Brahmanbaria over his parliamentary remarks and expressing regret.

Following his statement, the Qawmi Students Unity Council withdrew its programme and said it would not obstruct the NCP event.

The district administration, however, maintained that the NCP had not been granted permission to hold a political programme at the Shilpakala Academy