The government has transferred the deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police (SP) of Gopalganj following an armed procession, vandalism and arson involving leaders and activists of the Awami League, whose activities are currently banned, and its affiliated organisations.
DC Md Arif-uz-Zaman has been withdrawn and attached to the Ministry of Public Administration, while SP Md Habibullah has been transferred to Feni.
Separate notifications issued by the Ministry of Public Administration and the Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday confirmed the transfers.
GM Sarfaraz, currently serving as DC of Habiganj, has been appointed as the new DC of Gopalganj.
Feni SP Pratyush Kumar Majumder will replace Habibullah.
Earlier on Sunday, Awami League leaders and activists staged processions and rallies on several roads in Gopalganj town between 11am and 1:45pm.
The procession was organised to mobilise support for a lockdown program scheduled for November 19.
Many participants were seen carrying locally made weapons, including machetes, Chinese axes, spears, harpoons and bamboo poles.
The protesters broke through police barricades and entered different parts of the town. They vandalized the July Memorial and the signboard of Hadi Chattar at Gopalganj Science and Technology University.
The activists also unlocked the district Awami League office and put up a banner bearing the name “Government Bangabandhu College” at the entrance of Gopalganj Government College.
They also restored the university's Hadi Chattar to its former name, “Joy Bangla Chattar”.
Security was tightened across the district headquarters following the incidents, with members of the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Special Response Battalion (SRB) and Armed Police Battalion (APBn) deployed at key locations.
Shops closed and the movement of rickshaws and vans was disrupted during the procession. The situation began to return to normal after 2pm.