NCP leaders leave Gopalganj in APC
The leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP), who took shelter in the office of the Gopalganj superintendent of police (SP) following the attack on them, left in armoured personnel carriers (APC) of the Bangladesh Army. Later, they left the district with the help of the army personnel in those APCs, witnesses say.
Earlier, the NCP leaders came under attack following their rally in the city’s Poura Park area. They claimed that the attack was carried out by members and supporters of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League.
Witnesses said a group of people armed with sticks and clubs encircled the NCP leaders and activists and carried out an attack on them while chanting “Joy Bangla”. They surrounded the NCP members and blocked police vehicles from all sides.
At that moment, members of the police and army fired sound grenades and blank shots in an attempt to bring the situation under control.
The NCP leaders and activists turned their vehicles and left the scene through a different route.
The NCP leaders then took shelter in the district SP office. They left the SP office on APCs in the afternoon. A video of the NCP leaders leaving in the APCs went viral on social media.
The viral videos show central NCP leaders, including convenor Nahid Islam, member secretary Akhtar Hossain, chief organizer (south) Hasnat Abdullah, and chief organizer (north) Sarjis Alam boarding on APCs.
While staying inside the SP office, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary complained to newspersons that Awami League leaders and activists carried out the attack.
He also alleged although the police and the army were present at the scene, they did not stop them.
The NCP leader claimed that they were told that everything was under control. However, upon reaching the venue, they realised that was not the case.
Since 1 July, NCP has been carrying out its ‘July March to Build the Nation’ programme. As part of the month-long campaign, the party has already organised events in several districts. Today, it was holding a march in Gopalganj. On Tuesday, the party announced this event on its verified Facebook page as the ‘16 July: March to Gopalganj’ programme.
Earlier in the day, around 9:30 am, a police vehicle was attacked and set on fire on the Ulpur-Durgapur road at Khatiyagarh Charpara in the Sadar upazila. Three police members were injured in the attack.
Upon receiving news of the incident, UNO Md Rakibul Hasan went to visit the area. A group of people attacked his vehicle at Kansur while he was returning to the office. The driver of his vehicle was injured in the incident.
The first attack took place around 1:45 pm at the NCP rally venue in the city’s Poura Park. At that time, around 200 to 300 people armed with sticks stormed the rally site and carried out the assault. A second round of attacks occurred around 2:45 pm, after the rally had ended. Section 144 was later imposed in the district.
On Wednesday evening, the chief adviser’s press wing announced that a curfew had been imposed in Gopalganj from 8:00 pm tonight, following the violence, clashes, and casualties surrounding the NCP rally. The curfew will remain in effect until 6:00 pm tomorrow.