Miscreants carried out a crude bomb attack outside the venue of the National Citizen Party (NCP)’s North Region Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam’s rally in Bogra on Monday afternoon.
The explosion occurred around 4pm in front of the Bogra Zila Parishad auditorium, where the NCP’s district coordination meeting was underway. Sarjis was present at the event.
Police said the attackers hurled two crude bombs in succession, one of which exploded. However, NCP claimed that three crude bombs were thrown, two of which went off.
Shawkat Imran, a member of NCP’s Bogra district coordination team, told reporters that three crude bombs were hurled outside the venue just before Sarjis began his speech. “Two of them exploded. The attack was carried out to disrupt the meeting. The fascist Awami League and its cohorts are responsible,” he alleged.
Bogra Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Hasan Bashir said two crude bombs were hurled from the direction of the Karatoa River. “One unexploded bomb has been recovered. The attackers have not yet been identified.”
Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Hossain Mohammad Raihan said police reached the spot immediately after the incident. “No one was injured. The matter is being taken seriously,” he said.
Following the explosions, tension spread outside the auditorium adjacent to the office of the superintendent of police, prompting law enforcement to take position. The meeting later resumed normally in the presence of Sarjis.
After the meeting, Sarjis told reporters: “We can see the arrogance of those fascists and their accomplices who are plotting to destabilize the country. The home ministry and its agencies, responsible for maintaining law and order under the interim government, are not as active as they should be.”
Commenting on recent incidents, he said: “We do not consider the fire at an important establishment like the airport a normal event. The interim government must issue strict directives and take necessary measures against the conspirators, or it will have to bear responsibility for failure.”
Warning law enforcement, Sarjis added: “Do not become the administration of any party; be the administration of the people. If another such incident occurs in post-24 Bangladesh, your existence will be at risk. Take firm action against conspirators ahead of the election and protect the country’s sovereignty.”
Earlier around 3pm, Sarjis inaugurated NCP’s temporary district office at Bogra’s historic Altafunnesa Field. At a press briefing before the inauguration, he said NCP has no confidence in the current Election Commission due to its “biased conduct.”
“The people of Bangladesh will decide when and how the next election will be acceptable,” he said. “If the July Charter is given legal basis, its implementation ensured, judicial processes made visible, and the Election Commission allowed to function independently, then an election in February will be possible.”