Police said that the law and order situation in Gopalganj district is now under control with deployment of a large number of police, army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel.

“The law and order situation in Gopalganj is currently peaceful and under the control of law enforcers,” said a police report on the Gopalganj violence issued today.

To restore order, 1,507 police personnel along with army and BGB members have been deployed across Gopalganj, it said.

Curfew that was imposed by the local administration on Wednesday has been extended until 11am tomorrow from 6:00pm today (Thursday) to ensure public safety.

To date, joint forces and police have arrested 20 individuals suspecting their involvement in the Wednesday’s violence, it said.

The report said in order to commemorate the July Uprising and to hear the voices who participated in the movement, the National Citizen Party (NCP) declared a month-long nationwide programme titled “July March to Build the Nation,” scheduled from 1st to 30th July.
As part of this campaign, the NCP announced that a public rally would be held at 11:00 AM on July 16 at the Gopalganj Municipal Open Stage under the banner of “March to Gopalganj.”

In preparation for the rally, around 10:30am (on July 16), key NCP central leaders, including Nahid Islam, Convenor, Akhtar Hossain, Member Secretary, Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser (Southern Region), Sarjis Alam, Chief Organiser (Northern Region), Samantha Shermeen and Dr Tasnim Zara, Senior Joint Member Secretaries; Nasir Uddin Patwary, Senior Chief Coordinator; and Ariful Daria, departed for Gopalganj from the Circuit House in Barishal Metropolitan City.

From the early morning, law enforcement agencies and the local administration were deployed to ensure the security of the rally. However, around 9:30am, members of the banned organization, Bangladesh Awami League, and its wings attacked on-duty police officers at Ulpur in Gopalganj Sadar and set their vehicles on fire. One police inspector and two other officers were injured during the incident.

Around 11:00am, at the Kansur Bus Stand on the Gopalganj-Tekerhat road, 40–50 activists reportedly aligned with the banned Chhatra League, led by Md Omar Faruk Khan Ripon (Joint Convener, Gopalganj Municipality unit), blocked the road by felling trees and setting fire to wood. When the car of Gopalganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) reached the spot, it was vandalised, and the road remained blocked.

Around 11:30am, in the Abdar Haat area under Kotalipara Police Station, local Awami League activists led by Shamim Daria (General Secretary, Kotalipara Upazila Chhatra League) brought out a procession and blocked the Kotalipara–Poysar Haat road with felled trees and barricades. Over an estimated 2,800–3,000 activists participated in the procession. Around 11:40 AM, in the Kathi Bazar area of Gopalganj Sadar, 200–300 Awami League supporters, allegedly led by Mamun of the banned Chhatra League’s Gopalganj Municipality unit, used local weapons and similar methods to block the Gopalganj–Kotalipara road.

Before arrival of the NCP leaders at the rally venue, around 1:40 PM, a group of 50–60 armed attackers shouting “Joy Bangla,” reportedly affiliated with the banned Chhatra League, launched an attack on the stage using crude bombs, shields, and local weapons. The attackers vandalised banners and chairs on the stage. Despite the attack, at 2:01 PM, Nahid Islam and other NCP central leaders took seats on the stage to proceed with the rally.

Around 2:15pm, two more crude bombs were detonated and two motorcycles set ablaze in the Satpara Bazar area of Gopalganj Sadar. Unruly activists blocked roads using logs. And they set fire to several locations.

The rally concluded at 2:50 PM, after which Nahid Islam and other central leaders left the venue. Around 200 people attended the programme. As their motorcade departed under police and military escort for the next rally in Madaripur, it was blocked near the Gopalganj Launch Terminal around 3:00pm by Awami League supporters and members of its banned affiliated organisations. They used local weapons.

Despite efforts by the police and army to calm the crowd, the attackers began throwing stones and bricks and assaulted members of the police, army, and NCP using sharp and blunt weapons. The attackers also attacked government establishments, including Gopalganj District Jail. Four individuals were killed and over 50 people, including 45 police officers and constables and several journalists were injured.

In response to the escalating violence, law enforcement and military personnel safely escorted NCP leaders to the office of the Gopalganj Superintendent of Police. At 4:58 PM, with the help of joint forces, the NCP leaders departed for Khulna via Bagerhat.

Around 7:30pm, a group of unruly people took away the bodies of the deceased from the Gopalganj District Hospital. They prevented doctors from carrying out post-mortems of the bodies.