Police issues report on the events of July 16 in Gopalganj

Police have issued a report over the clash centring the NCP rally in Gopalganj yesterday.

The report, issued today, said the National Citizen Party had announced a programme at the Gopalganj Municipal Open Stage on July 16, as part of its nationwide "July March to Build the Nation" programme.

According to the police report, law enforcement and the local administration were active since the morning to ensure security for the rally.

To participate in this rally, NCP central leaders Nahid Islam, Akhter Hossen, and other party leaders started their journey from the Barishal Circuit House area around 10:30am that day.

At 9:30am, a criminal group belonging to a banned organisation attacked police officers deployed in Ulpur under Gopalganj Sadar Police Station and set fire to a vehicle, said the report.

One inspector and two other police personnel were injured in the attack.

At 11:00am, at the Kansur Bus Stand on the Gopalganj-Tekerhat road, 40-50 supporters of the banned Chhatra League, led by Md Omar Faruq Khan Ripon, joint convener of its Gopalganj municipal unit, blocked the road by felling trees and setting fires.

When the Gopalganj UNO's vehicle arrived at the spot, the attackers vandalised it and enforced a road blockade.

Police further reported that around 11:30am in the Abdarhat area of Kotalipara upazila, local Awami League activists led by Kotalipara upazila Chhatra League general secretary Shamim Dariya held a procession, involving 2,800 to 3,000 activists, and blocked the Kotalipara-Poysharhat road by felling trees.

At around 11:40am in the Kathibazar area under Gopalganj Sadar Police Station, 200-300 Awami League supporters, led by Mamun of the Gopalganj municipal unit of Chhatra League, also blocked the Gopalganj-Kotalipara road using locally made weapons and felled trees.

Before NCP leaders could reach the rally venue at the Gopalganj Municipal Park, around 1:40pm, a terrorist group of 50-60 members of Chhatra League, chanting the slogan "Joy Bangla", launched an attack on the stage with locally made weapons and exploded crude bombs, the report said.

They tore the banner on the stage and vandalised chairs.

At 2:01pm, NCP convener Nahid Islam and other central leaders went up to the stage.

At 2:15pm, miscreants exploded two crude bombs in the Satpara Bazar area under Gopalganj Sadar Police Station and set two motorcycles on fire, according to the report

Unruly crowds erected barricades on roads using tree trunks and set fires in various places.

At 2:50pm, after the rally ended, NCP leaders led by Nahid Islam left the venue. Police stated that around 200 people were present at the rally.

After the rally, under police and army protection, the NCP motorcade started for its next rally venue in Madaripur.

However, at the Gopalganj Municipal Launch Ghat around 3:00pm, Awami League supporters and members of its associate organisations intercepted the motorcade with locally made weapons, according to the report.

Police said with the help of army personnel they tried to pacify the unruly crowd, but the attackers ignored them and began hurling brick chips and attacking NCP leaders, the police, and army personnel with locally made weapons.

The miscreants also attacked the Gopalganj District Jail and other government installations.

During the clash, four people were killed and around 50 others, including 45 police members and journalists, were injured, the report stated.

The army and police took the NCP leaders and activists to the office of the superintendent of police for safety.

Later, at 4:58pm, with assistance from the joint forces, the NCP leaders left for Khulna via Bagerhat in vehicles.

Then, "around 7:30pm, an unruly group forcibly took away the bodies of the four deceased from the district hospital without allowing autopsies to be performed," the police report said.

So far, 20 individuals involved in the acts of sabotage have been arrested by the joint forces and police.

Currently, to maintain law and order in Gopalganj district, 1,507 police personnel, along with the army and BGB, have been deployed, said police.

Police said that the situation in Gopalganj remains peaceful under the presence of law enforcement agencies.