The government has extended the tenure of the inquiry commission investigating the attack and violence during the National Citizen Party (NCP) rally in Gopalganj this July. A Cabinet Division notification issued on Thursday grants the commission a 34-day extension, now giving it until September 30 to submit its report.
The six-member commission, formed on July 24 under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956, is headed by former Supreme Court Justice Dr. Md. Abu Tariq. Initially, the commission was tasked with submitting its findings within three weeks, a deadline that ended on August 13. The government first extended the period by 14 days, which expired on August 27. The new extension, effective from August 28, grants additional time to complete the investigation.
The commission’s members include Additional Secretary of the Public Security Division Khandaker Md. Mahabubur Rahman, Senior District and Sessions Judge Md. Saiful Islam, Commander of the 21st Infantry Brigade Brigadier General Shahidur Rahman Osmani, Additional Inspector General of Police and Director of the Central Police Hospital Sardar Nurul Amin, and Dr. Sajjad Siddiqui, Chairman of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Dhaka University.
The commission is tasked with identifying the causes of the violence, those responsible for the attacks, and making recommendations for legal action. It will also examine related incidents, such as attacks on government facilities and the disruption of public security. The Ministry of Home Affairs is providing logistical and secretarial support to the commission.