Bangladesh is engulfed in the flames of domestic violence. In Gopalganj, the hometown of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, violent clashes erupted between the Awami League and the police. This unrest claimed four lives and unfolded before protests by the student-led party, NCP, aiming to dismantle Sheikh Hasina's hold on power. According to media reports, Gopalganj resembled a virtual battlefield on Wednesday with persistent fires, violence, and gunfire.
Doctors reported that the deceased were brought to Gopalganj General Hospital after being struck by bullets. Nine others injured in the gunfire are under treatment at the hospital.
Four additional troops of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in Gopalganj, with tanks patrolling the streets. Officials have vowed stern action against the troublemakers.
Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus announced a 22-hour curfew in Gopalganj starting at 8 PM Wednesday. He assured that those responsible for attacking the NCP will not go unpunished.
According to media reports and eyewitnesses, clashes involved demonstrators armed with bamboo sticks and stones facing off against police, army, and paramilitary forces like the BGB.
The Dhaka Tribune reported that the NCP was holding a public meeting in Gopalganj Municipal Park when alleged Awami League members, including its banned student wing activists, attacked the gathering.
It's important to note that the National Citizen Party (NCP) of Bangladesh is a new political party formed on February 28, 2025. It emerged from the student-led 'Monsoon Revolution' and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) that began following the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024. Student leader Nahid Islam leads the NCP, advocating for liberation from Mujibism in Bangladesh.
An NCP leader claimed they were informed that everything was under control in Gopalganj, but upon reaching the venue, they realized the situation was different.
Around 1:45 PM, some 200-300 local Awami League supporters brandishing sticks descended on the NCP rally site. When the attack commenced, on-duty police officers sought refuge in the nearby courthouse. NCP leaders and activists quickly left the area. NCP members alleged that the attackers were Awami League supporters.
What Did the Awami League Say on the Violence?
The Awami League, meanwhile, accused the violence of being orchestrated by Bangladesh's army and the NCP cadres. On X (formerly Twitter), the Awami League stated, "The Bangladeshi army, unafraid, has tortured a civilian in Gopalganj, as seen in a photo dragging him, intending to spread a climate of fear nationwide."
The Awami League claims that this unfortunate civilian was among thousands protesting against the state-sponsored repression by the Yunus regime, which involves killings, arbitrary arrests, detentions, a rising wave of crime, and new conspiracies to erase symbols linked to Bangladesh's founding father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, from his birthplace in Gopalganj.
Source: aajtak
Criticizing the Yunus and Islamist provocateurs-backed mob for spreading a crime wave, the Awami League condemned the complete inaction of the armed forces and demanded emphatically that the Bangladeshi army, through its cruel acts, has shown it has abandoned neutrality.
The Awami League went further to assert that after gunfire on unarmed protesters by state agencies and army and the killing of citizens standing up for Bangabandhu’s legacy, NCP leaders have escalated their call to eliminate anyone identified with "Awami League." The Awami League also posted video footage of the army firing and attacks on social media.
'We'll Liberate from Mujibism'
Following the attack, NCP leader Nahid Islam and another NCP leader Hasanath Abdullah vowed to wipe out the remnants of "Mujib's legacy."
NCP convenor Nahid Islam declared that if justice is not served immediately concerning the attack at their rally site, their party will return to "liberate Gopalganj from Mujibism" on their own.
Islam asserted, "If the police cannot succeed, we will ensure justice."
Another NCP leader remarked in a Facebook post, "In Gopalganj, Hasina’s murderous agents attacked us. The police simply stood by, watching the spectacle and stepping back."
No One Will Be Spared, Absolutely
Bangladesh's Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus stated that the violence in Gopalganj is utterly unforgivable. Preventing young citizens from peacefully commemorating the first anniversary of their revolutionary movement is a shameful infringement of their fundamental rights.
A statement from Muhammad Yunus's office reads, "This heinous act, reportedly carried out by members of the banned Awami League's student wing and AL activists, will certainly not go unpunished. The perpetrators must be identified swiftly and held fully accountable. There is no place for such violence against any citizen in Bangladesh."
It's noteworthy that it’s nearly a year since Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power in Bangladesh. In this context, the student organizations are continuously organizing rallies.
