Dhaka, Bangladesh — Protests and road blockades erupted across several districts in response to an assault on Gono Odhikar Parishad leader Nurul Haque Nur. Supporters of his party have been accused of attacking and vandalizing offices belonging to the Jatiya Party in regions including Thakurgaon, Tangail, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi.
Reports indicate that Jatiya Party offices in both Haripur and Rajshahi were vandalized and set ablaze, amplifying tensions between the two political factions. The violence followed clashes in Bijoynagar, where Gono Odhikar supporters held a torch procession in the evening after the initial altercation.
According to Gono Odhikar officials, Nur suffered injuries during the confrontation and is currently receiving medical attention at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. As unrest unfolded overnight, protests sparked at several universities, including those in Dhaka and Chattogram, continuing into the following day.
In Thakurgaon, incidents escalated when Gono Odhikar activists reportedly attacked the Jatiya Party office in Haripur around noon on Saturday. Mohammad Hasan Ali, the general secretary of the local Jatiya Party unit, detailed the chaos, stating that the attackers caused significant property damage, destroying office furniture and setting some ablaze. He condemned the actions and called for accountability.
Mojakker Islam Suman, head of the Gono Odhikar unit in Haripur, claimed that the violence was a direct reaction to the assault on Nur. “Our frustration boiled over as we reached the Jatiya Party office,” he said. Local police confirmed their arrival to manage the situation and stated that the area was now secure.
In Tangail, Gono Odhikar supporters marched to the Jatiya Party office, resulting in similar destruction and the blocking of the Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway. Witnesses described the scene as activists broke into the office and vandalized it before raising slogans in protest against the attack on Nur.
Mohammad Mojammel Haque, the district’s Jatiya Party general secretary, expressed concern over the wave of violence directed at their offices across the nation. He lamented the situation, remarking that it unfolded in the presence of law enforcement, leaving him hesitant to pursue formal complaints.
Meanwhile, in Mymensingh, Gono Odhikar activists clashed with their opposition on Friday night. Their procession culminated in vandalism at the Jatiya Party office in Ishwarganj, where officers reported damage but noted that no formal complaints had been filed by that time.
Further incidents were reported in Rajshahi late Friday, where Gono Odhikar activists vandalized and set fire to the local Jatiya Party office. The demonstration, which started at Saheb Bazar Zero Point, highlighted the escalating hostility between the two political groups amidst an already tense political landscape.
As violence continues to unfold, many are calling for restraint and dialogue to prevent escalation. The authorities have been urged to respond swiftly to the vandalism and to ensure that peace is restored in the affected areas.