Amid political tension, National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders set out from Moulvibazar for Habiganj. Police stopped them on the way at the Cha-Kanya area of Sreemangal. There was scuffling between police and NCP leaders.
The convoy of vehicles carrying the NCP leaders set out for Habiganj from the Moulvibazar Circuit House shortly before 4pm on Wednesday. They were stopped at the Cha-Kanya area at about 4.30pm.
Those present include the NCP convener and member of parliament Nahid Islam, the chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, the northern region chief organiser Sarjis Alam, the southern region chief organiser and member of parliament Hasnat Abdullah, and the joint member secretary and member of parliament Mahmuda Mitu.
Witnesses said there were about 10 microbuses in the NCP leaders’ convoy. More than a hundred police officers had taken position on the main road at the Cha-Kanya area, blocking them.
The NCP leaders got out of their vehicles and spoke to senior police officers.
Police are telling the NCP leaders not to go to Habiganj while section 144 is in force. The NCP leaders are calling for the police obstruction to be lifted.
NCP leaders have alleged that leaders and activists of the BNP, Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal attacked them in Habiganj town on Tuesday as they were returning from their programme. Several people were injured.
With tension running high between the BNP and the NCP over the incident, the administration imposed section 144 in the Habiganj municipal area from Wednesday morning.
A police officer in Habiganj said they were working to keep the overall situation under control. Police are deployed in the border area between Moulvibazar and Habiganj and are on alert.
It was alleged that local Chhatra Dal leaders and activists made a sudden attack on vehicles carrying NCP leaders on Tuesday evening in front of the town hall in Habiganj town, as they were returning from the march.
Police said several journalists’ vehicles were vandalised at the time. Several leaders and activists of the party were injured. The party’s northern region chief organiser, Sarjis Alam, and chief coordinator, Nasiruddin Patwari, took shelter in a branch of Sonali Bank to escape the attack. Police later went and rescued them. They spent the night in Moulvibazar.
The NCP then suspended two previously announced “July marches” in Moulvibazar district on Wednesday and announced a protest march and rally in Habiganj town instead. Fresh tension arose in the town over separate programmes announced by the district Chhatra Dal and the BNP.
Law enforcers have been kept on alert to keep the situation calm.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report