Thursday, 17 July, 2025
Political turbulence has begun to cast a long and dangerous shadow over Bangladesh’s fragile landscape, as Gopalganj, birthplace of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his exiled daughter Sheikh Hasina, plunged into chaos on Wednesday.
At least four people were killed in daylong clashes between law enforcement and activists of the banned Awami League (AL), following their violent attack on a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) central leaders returning from a political rally.
The government responded by imposing a full curfew in the district from 8pm Wednesday to 6pm Thursday, after the escalation overwhelmed local administration. Section 144 had already been enforced earlier in the day, but it failed to contain the banned group’s aggression.
Police officers were injured, vehicles torched, and by sunset, Gopalganj resembled a war zone. To regain control, army personnel and four platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed across the town.
The clash unfolded as the NCP concluded its rally—part of its month-long “Desh Gorte July Padajatra (July March to Build the Nation)”—a programme launched to commemorate the July uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina from power. But the situation spiralled out of control when the rally venue was first attacked around 1:30pm, with crude bombs detonated and the stage vandalised by supporters of the outlawed AL.
The convoy of NCP leaders was then ambushed again at the launch ghat near Gopalganj Government College, leaving their top leadership trapped and forced to seek shelter at the Superintendent of Police’s office. They were later escorted out of the district under army protection.
The violence left four young men dead: Dipto Saha, 25; Ramzan Kazi, 18; Sohel Rana, 30; and Imon, 24—all locals of Gopalganj. At least 15 others were injured, with three in critical condition transferred to Dhaka. Dr Jibitesh Biswas, superintendent of Gopalganj General Hospital, confirmed the casualties.
The early hours of the day had already signaled trouble. Activists of the banned Chhatra League and Awami League attacked the vehicle of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and torched a police patrol car—bold provocations that went unanswered by authorities. Social media had been rife with warnings and calls to resist the NCP’s presence in Hasina’s ancestral district, yet law enforcement appeared unprepared.
Eyewitnesses described the afternoon scene as one of sheer terror. Chairs from the rally site were burned on the streets, gunfire cracked through the air, and panic swept the town. Clashes intensified at the Chowrangee intersection, where brick-throwing attackers were met with sound grenades and tear gas. Businesses closed. Residents locked themselves indoors. Gopalganj was a city under siege.
This marks the 34th stop in the NCP’s cross-country “July March,” which began in Rangpur on July 1 after police fatally shot student Abu Sayed. The campaign has drawn wide public attention, igniting hope for democratic change among many, but also fierce resistance from remnants of the fallen regime.
Political condemnation was swift and sharp. The BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, and other parties denounced the Gopalganj attack and demanded government accountability. Jamaat announced nationwide protests in response. Many see the attack not only as an act of political desperation by Hasina loyalists but also as a grave failure of state machinery.
Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam acknowledged the delay in neutralising the unrest, citing the force’s decision to refrain from using lethal weapons. “We are showing restraint,” he said, adding that reinforcements were being deployed to fully stabilise the situation.
The Gopalganj incident, coming on the heels of the shocking daylight murder of Md Sohag in Dhaka earlier this month, signals a country slipping back into the cycle of violence and repression it had hoped to leave behind. The upcoming general election, tentatively scheduled for February, now faces a growing legitimacy crisis.
With every rally attacked and every voice silenced, the question looms larger than ever: can Bangladesh afford another election without justice, accountability, and genuine political freedom?
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Political turbulence has begun to cast a long and dangerous shadow over Bangladesh’s fragile landscape, as Gopalganj, birthplace of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his exiled daughter Sheikh Hasina, plunged into chaos on Wednesday.
At least four people were killed in daylong clashes between law enforcement and activists of the banned Awami League (AL), following their violent attack on a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) central leaders returning from a political rally.
The government responded by imposing a full curfew in the district from 8pm Wednesday to 6pm Thursday, after the escalation overwhelmed local administration. Section 144 had already been enforced earlier in the day, but it failed to contain the banned group’s aggression.
Police officers were injured, vehicles torched, and by sunset, Gopalganj resembled a war zone. To regain control, army personnel and four platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed across the town.
The clash unfolded as the NCP concluded its rally—part of its month-long “Desh Gorte July Padajatra (July March to Build the Nation)”—a programme launched to commemorate the July uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina from power. But the situation spiralled out of control when the rally venue was first attacked around 1:30pm, with crude bombs detonated and the stage vandalised by supporters of the outlawed AL.
The convoy of NCP leaders was then ambushed again at the launch ghat near Gopalganj Government College, leaving their top leadership trapped and forced to seek shelter at the Superintendent of Police’s office. They were later escorted out of the district under army protection.
The violence left four young men dead: Dipto Saha, 25; Ramzan Kazi, 18; Sohel Rana, 30; and Imon, 24—all locals of Gopalganj. At least 15 others were injured, with three in critical condition transferred to Dhaka. Dr Jibitesh Biswas, superintendent of Gopalganj General Hospital, confirmed the casualties.
The early hours of the day had already signaled trouble. Activists of the banned Chhatra League and Awami League attacked the vehicle of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and torched a police patrol car—bold provocations that went unanswered by authorities. Social media had been rife with warnings and calls to resist the NCP’s presence in Hasina’s ancestral district, yet law enforcement appeared unprepared.
Eyewitnesses described the afternoon scene as one of sheer terror. Chairs from the rally site were burned on the streets, gunfire cracked through the air, and panic swept the town. Clashes intensified at the Chowrangee intersection, where brick-throwing attackers were met with sound grenades and tear gas. Businesses closed. Residents locked themselves indoors. Gopalganj was a city under siege.
This marks the 34th stop in the NCP’s cross-country “July March,” which began in Rangpur on July 1 after police fatally shot student Abu Sayed. The campaign has drawn wide public attention, igniting hope for democratic change among many, but also fierce resistance from remnants of the fallen regime.
Political condemnation was swift and sharp. The BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Hefazat-e-Islam, and other parties denounced the Gopalganj attack and demanded government accountability. Jamaat announced nationwide protests in response. Many see the attack not only as an act of political desperation by Hasina loyalists but also as a grave failure of state machinery.
Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam acknowledged the delay in neutralising the unrest, citing the force’s decision to refrain from using lethal weapons. “We are showing restraint,” he said, adding that reinforcements were being deployed to fully stabilise the situation.
The Gopalganj incident, coming on the heels of the shocking daylight murder of Md Sohag in Dhaka earlier this month, signals a country slipping back into the cycle of violence and repression it had hoped to leave behind. The upcoming general election, tentatively scheduled for February, now faces a growing legitimacy crisis.
With every rally attacked and every voice silenced, the question looms larger than ever: can Bangladesh afford another election without justice, accountability, and genuine political freedom?
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