Authorities have arrested 25 individuals in connection with Tuesday’s deadly clashes surrounding a National Citizen Party (NCP) rally in Gopalganj. The incident left at least four people dead and injured several others, including 10 police officers.
Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury confirmed the arrests on Wednesday during a briefing at the Secretariat. He said law enforcement agencies would continue operations until all those responsible were taken into custody.
“Two of the injured police officers are already at the Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh,” the adviser said. “Three more are on their way from Gopalganj.”
Millions watched as a political rally turned violent on live TV. Awami League supporters and NCP activists clashed. Cars burned.
Crude bombs exploded. A 22-hour curfew now blankets the district. Officials say things are calm—but with troops everywhere, it’s clear that calm could break.
In response, the NCP organized blockades on highways and key roads across the country. By evening, party convener Nahid Islam used a Facebook post to ask supporters to lift the blockades and announced a nationwide protest rally for Wednesday.
When asked about allegations against the police, Adviser Jahangir said instructions had been given to law enforcement and that “they are trying their best.”
He also visited injured officers earlier in the day at the Central Police Hospital and thanked media outlets for airing live footage of the clashes.
The official playbook is in full swing: a strict curfew, followed by tough talk from authorities promising a ‘relentless hunt.’
They’ve even appointed the obligatory three-person committee to investigate, though—predictably—they’re silent on who it is or when they’ll report back.
It’s a textbook performance designed to project control, but anyone paying attention knows the situation is anything but settled.
