A strict curfew and fear of mass arrests have gripped Gopalganj after deadly clashes erupted during a National Citizen Party (NCP) rally on Wednesday, leaving at least four dead and dozens injured, according to hospital and police sources.
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.
Authorities imposed the curfew Wednesday evening, effective until 6:00 PM Thursday, to prevent further violence. Section 144 was also enforced across Gopalganj Sadar, restricting public gatherings. Army, BGB, RAB, and police were deployed to restore order.
In a statement, the government condemned the attack as “indefensible”, promising to bring perpetrators to justice. It called the assault a “shameful violation of democratic rights.”
Senior NCP leaders, including Nahid Islam, Akhtar Hossain, Hasnat Abdullah, and Sarjis Alam, were escorted out of Gopalganj under tight security and later held a press briefing in Khulna. There, Nahid Islam described the assault as a “militant-style attack intended to kill.”
In response, the NCP has called for nationwide protests on Thursday, demanding accountability and the right to peaceful assembly.
Security remains tight, and the situation in Gopalganj is being closely monitored by the law enforcing agencies.
The unrest erupted on Wednesday after alleged supporters of the banned Awami League and its student wing Chhatra League attacked the NCP rally near Poura Park and Chowrangi Mor, triggering day-long street battles with law enforcement and NCP activists.
The rally was part of the party’s “July March to Rebuild the Nation” campaign. Tensions had escalated earlier due to viral social media rumours falsely claiming the NCP planned to desecrate the Bangabandhu Mausoleum—an allegation the party strongly denies.
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.