Gopalganj under curfew; 4 killed as banned AL, police clash after attack on NCP leaders
At least a hundred individuals, including journalists and policemen, have been injured in the clashes
At least four people were killed in Gopalganj today (16 July) after supporters of the banned Awami League (AL) clashed with law enforcement, following their attacks on a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) central leaders. The NCP convoy was departing the district town after a rally, part of their nationwide "July March".
In response to the escalating violence, the government imposed a curfew in Gopalganj from 8pm yesterday until 6pm today. Earlier, the local administration had enacted Section 144 after the banned AL outfit launched violent assaults on law enforcers, resulting in several police officials being injured and vehicles torched or vandalised.
To regain control of the volatile situation, police and army personnel, augmented by four platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), have been deployed across the city.
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Four confirmed dead
Dr Jeebitesh Biswas, superintendent of Gopalganj General Hospital, confirmed to The Business Standard that the bodies of four individuals had been brought to the hospital. "All of them bore visible injury marks," he stated.
The deceased were identified as Ramzan Kazi, 18, from Kotalipara, Imon Talukder, 18, from Sadar upazila, Idris Molla from Tungipara, and Deepto Saha, 25, from Udayan Road in Gopalganj town.
Series of attacks unfold
Tensions began brewing in the morning when activists from the banned Chhatra League and Awami League attacked and vandalised a vehicle belonging to the convoy of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) in Gopalganj Sadar upazila, ahead of the scheduled NCP rally. They also damaged and torched a police patrol vehicle.
At approximately 1:30pm, supporters of the banned political party and its affiliates attacked the rally stage of the NCP's "July March" at the municipal park in Gopalganj Sadar. The attackers vandalised chairs and detonated crude bombs while chanting the "Joy Bangla" slogan. NCP central leaders had not yet arrived at the rally ground at the time.
Amidst heightened tensions, NCP central leaders, including Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, and Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara, arrived shortly after 2:00 PM and proceeded with the programme.
Following a brief rally, the NCP leaders, under police protection, began their journey towards Madaripur. Around 2:45pm, as their convoy reached the Launch Ghat area near Gopalganj Government College, it came under attack once more.
NCP activists dispersed under pressure, leaving party leaders stranded in the city. They subsequently sought refuge at the Superintendent of Police's office before being escorted under army protection across the Mollahat Bridge – the entry point to Bagerhat – at approximately 5:30pm.
Eyewitnesses reported that chairs and equipment from the rally stage were dragged onto the street and set ablaze. Heavy gunfire echoed through the area, and flames were visible at the rally site.
Law enforcement responded by pursuing the attackers, who had gathered at the Chowrangee intersection, wielding sticks and throwing bricks at police.
Police countered the assault with sound grenades and tear gas, but an extremely tense atmosphere persisted across the city, with shops in most areas shuttered amidst the clashes.
The clashes ceased only after the administration imposed the district-wide curfew. Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Kamruzzaman stated that the situation was now under the control of law enforcement agencies.
'July March to Build the Nation'
The NCP's rally in Gopalganj was part of the party's month-long "Desh Gorte July Padajatra (July March to Build the Nation)," which commemorates last year's mass uprising that led to the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led autocratic regime.
The programme commenced on 1 July in Rangpur, where police fatally shot Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University, an incident that marked the beginning of a series of mass killings across the country. The march is scheduled to cover all 64 districts of Bangladesh.
The NCP's July March had visited all northern districts before crossing the Padma River and entering the south-west through Kushtia. Subsequently, leaders and activists held rallies in southern districts, including Bhola and Barisal. Gopalganj marked the party's 34th stop.
BNP, Jamaat, Hefazat, other parties condemn Gopalganj attack, demand govt action
Notably, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's ancestral home is situated in Gopalganj.
After her departure from the country, her supporters on 10 August last year vandalised and torched an army vehicle during a blockade of the Dhaka-Khulna highway, staged with the aim of "bringing back Hasina." The subsequent clashes left many injured, including four members of the army.
Ahead of the NCP's programme in Gopalganj—which the party dubbed "March to Gopalganj"—tensions were palpable, with many supporters of the banned AL publicly announcing their intent to resist the march on social media.
The attacks and clashes highlight an apparent lack of preparedness on the part of law enforcement agencies, which failed to prevent the violence despite clear prior indications of potential unrest.
Political condemnation
Major political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, have condemned the attacks on the NCP rally and convoy by banned Awami League elements and their affiliates in Gopalganj. In separate statements, the parties urged the government to ensure justice and bring the perpetrators to account.
Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a countrywide protest today in all districts and metropolitan areas in response to yesterday's attack on NCP leaders.
