At least four people were killed and a dozen injured in a violent clash between Awami League activists and law enforcers in Gopalganj on Wednesday.
Supervisor of Gopalganj General Hospital Jibitesh Biswas reported that four gunshot victims were brought in dead in the afternoon, with nine others undergoing surgery for bullet wounds.
The dead were unidentified as Dipto Saha (25), Ramjan Kazi (24), Iman Talukder (28) and Sohel (35). Both of them are from Kotalipara of the district.
The clashes erupted when supporters of AL and its affiliated bodies attacked a motorcade and a rally of the National Citizen Party (NCP) in Gopalganj town.
The violence, one of the most intense in recent memory, swept through parts of the district town, including Chowrangi intersection and Municipality Park area, prompting the local administration to impose Section 144 and banning all public gatherings across the district.
Later in the day, a 22-hour curfew was declared starting from 8:00 pm in an effort to contain further violence. Additional contingents of the army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police were deployed at key locations to restore order.
Our reporter and photographer reported from the scene that tension peaked around 3:00 pm, shortly after the NCP concluded a rally at the Municipality Park as part of its month-long “July March to Rebuild the Nation” campaign.
As the party’s motorcade began to leave the venue, it came under coordinated attack at Chowrangi intersection by supporters of Awami League and its affiliated bodies.
The attackers hurled brick chips, sticks and crude bombs, targeting NCP vehicles and law-enforcers. What followed was described by eyewitnesses as open street battles, police aided by army and Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) retaliated pushing the attackers back. The encounters lasted for hours, turning area a battlefield.
“Suddenly, the road was filled with smoke and shouting,” said a local shopkeeper. “We saw people running, police firing into the air, and ambulances taking away the injured.”
During the mayhem, army and police personnel gave cover to NCP leaders. Later, they were evacuated by a military Armored Personal Carrier (APC) and taken to the district’s Circuit House.
Speaking to the press from the safety of the Gopalganj Circuit House, where several top leaders were later escorted, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam condemned the attack, calling it “a calculated attempt to silence opposition voices through violence and fear”.
NCP Joint Member Secretary Mushfiq Us Salehin told BBC Bangla that the party leaders departed Gopalganj after 5:00 PM under army and police protection.
He said a convoy of 15 to 16 vehicles carrying the NCP leaders exited Gopalganj via the Kodapahar area.
The convoy included prominent NCP leaders such as party convener Nahid Islam, Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain, NCP Chief Organiser for southern region Hasnat Abdullah, and NCP Chief Organiser for northern region Sarjis Alam.
Earlier at approximately 1:45 PM, several hundred AL supporters and affiliated activists reportedly stormed the NCP rally grounds at Poura Park. Armed with sticks and iron rods, they vandalised sound systems, tore down banners, broke chairs, and assaulted party volunteers.
Eyewitnesses said the use of crude bombs and reported that police present at the venue initially retreated to the nearby court premises, leaving NCP activists vulnerable.
The attack took place just moments before the rally was set to begin, disrupting the NCP’s program and causing panic among attendees.
Dr. Jibitesh Biswas, Deputy Director of the Gopalganj 250-bed General Hospital, confirmed that 10 to 12 people were admited with injuries, some of them in critical condition. Medical staff remained on high alert throughout the afternoon as more injured individuals were brought in from various parts of the town.
In response to the rapidly deteriorating situation, Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Md Kamruzzaman imposed section 144, effectively banning all public gatherings in the district.
To restore order, the administration deployed four platoons of BGB, additional police forces, and army personnel across key points of the city. Checkpoints were set up, and patrols continued into the evening.
Tensions had already been simmering in Gopalganj the night before. In separate incidents, unidentified individuals vandalised and set fire to vehicles belonging to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and police in Gopalganj Sadar Upazila.
No arrests were made, but local officials suspect these attacks were linked to efforts to sabotage the NCP’s scheduled event.
Adding to the tension was a wave of disinformation spread via social media, claiming that the NCP intended to desecrate the mausoleum of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—a revered national landmark located in the district.
While NCP leaders categorically denied the allegations, the rumours are believed to have inflamed public sentiment and contributed to the violence.
Wednesday’s rally was part of the NCP’s high-profile July campaign, launched on July 1, aimed at engaging the public and building grassroots support ahead of the upcoming national elections.
On its verified Facebook page, the party had announced the event under the banner: “16 July: March to Gopalganj.”
A tense situation has been prevailing in Gopalganj, known as the last bastion of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her party.