A group of people, led by Muntasir Mahmud, a recently dismissed officer and leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), held the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society chairman and senior staff hostage for several hours in what officials described as a mob action.

Following the incident on Sunday, Muntasir was handed a temporary suspension and issued a show-cause notice by the NCP.

According to a senior Red Crescent officer, Muntasir, a former deputy director of Youth Affairs at Red Crescent and an NCP organiser, along with several outsiders, attempted to assemble a mob at the Red Crescent headquarters in Moghbazar starting Sunday morning.

Around midday, Muntasir, employed on a contract, received a dismissal notice, after which the protest escalated.

The group blocked the chairman throughout the day, accusing him of being an “accomplice of fascists” and charging him with “Awami rehabilitation” activities. Retired Maj Gen Md Azizul Islam, the chairman, was eventually escorted out by police in the evening.

Fazlul Karim, ADC of Tejgaon Police, said: “A board meeting was held today at Red Crescent. Some employees were dismissed for various reasons. Following this, nearly 50 people confined the chairman to the office for most of the day. Around 8pm, police had to escort him out.”

Karim added that police presence at the Red Crescent office would continue on Monday.

Amid the turmoil, at around 8pm, the NCP posted a notice on its official Facebook page stating:

“Serious allegations of party discipline violations have been raised against you [Muntasir]. Following preliminary verification and under the directives of NCP Convener Nahid Islam and Secretary Akhtar Hossain, you are temporarily suspended from all organisational activities, effective immediately. You are requested to submit a written explanation within 48 hours to the party’s Central Discipline Committee, explaining why permanent suspension should not be imposed.”

The NCP did not disclose the specific reasons behind Muntasir’s suspension.