Govt monitors Gopalganj situation, considers action based on developments
The government is closely monitoring the activities of activists of the Awami League, which is banned from political activities in the country, and the developments in Gopalganj.
Depending on how the situation unfolds, the government is considering increasing the level of force used by law enforcement agencies in the district, officials in charge at the Ministry of Home Affairs told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity.
When contacted after noon, they said the deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) in Gopalganj would be removed from their posts. At around 5:15 pm, the government issued an order transferring the DC and SP.
Habiganj DC GM Sarfaraz was appointed as the new DC of Gopalganj, replacing Md Arif-uz-Zaman. Gopalganj SP Md Habibullah was also transferred, and Feni SP Pratyush Kumar Majumder was given the new assignment.
Gopalganj is the hometown of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the July mass uprising. Since the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024, party leaders, activists and supporters have staged protests there on various occasions.
For the past few days, Awami League activists have been holding processions and blocking roads in Gopalganj. On Sunday, they were seen staging rallies and processions carrying various local weapons, including bamboo poles, oars and machetes.
During the processions, they vandalised a police armoured personnel carrier (APC) and a police box. They also damaged the July Memorial and the nameplate at Hadi Chattar.
Sources at the Cabinet Division said the situation in Gopalganj was discussed at the Cabinet meeting held on Sunday morning. However, they could not provide details of the discussions or any decisions taken.
Later, sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs said the government had increased the number of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police personnel in Gopalganj. However, the government does not want to use force at this stage. It will continue monitoring the situation and take measures accordingly.
A senior official at the Ministry of Home Affairs told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that the government would not allow the situation to spiral out of control. At the same time, it did not want to use force immediately and risk casualties or damage to property.
He said the situation would be monitored for some more time. If the Awami League tried to escalate attacks and violence, the government would also use force in accordance with the law.
Sources at the ministry further said local Awami League leaders and activists were being instigated from abroad. The government had intelligence reports that Awami League leaders and activists from different districts had travelled to Gopalganj over the past few days. There were also concerns about possible attacks on government installations.
The BGB said three additional platoons of its personnel were deployed in Gopalganj on Sunday to maintain normal law and order and ensure public safety.
Three platoons of BGB personnel had been deployed earlier on 10 November. Additional police personnel were also brought to Gopalganj from neighbouring districts.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the BGB said it had been regularly performing duties under the "In Aid to Civil Power" arrangement, following instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, to maintain internal law and order and ensure public security. As part of this ongoing deployment, six platoons of BGB personnel had been stationed in Gopalganj.
Erlier, on 17 July 2025, local Awami League leaders and activists attacked a rally organised by the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Gopalganj. Four people were killed in clashes and gunfire involving law enforcement agencies during the incident.
On 20 July that year, responding to a question about the use of firearms, then interim government's Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, "Measures have to be taken according to the circumstances prevailing at the time."