Two new cases have been filed over the repeated clashes and attacks centring the National Citizen Party (NCP)’s march in Gopalganj.
The police have filed the two new cases as plaintiffs—one with Gopalganj Sadar police station and the other with Tungipara police station. With this, the number of cases stands at 10, including four for murder.
A total of 9,850 individuals have been accused so far. Among them, 312 people have been arrested.
On Tuesday night, a case was filed by Tania Zaman of the district in connection with the attack, vandalism, and arson at Gopalganj District Jail.
This case names 160 individuals from the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, including district Chhatra League President Newton Molla and General Secretary Ataur Rahman.
Additionally, between 900 and 1,000 unnamed Awami League leaders and activists have been listed as unidentified accused. The case statement alleges that the attack was orchestrated to incite political unrest by targeting the district jail.
Although the case was filed on Tuesday night, Gopalganj Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mir Mohammad Sajedur Rahman informed the media on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the case details, following the NCP rally on July 16 at Gopalganj Municipal Park, party activists were en route to Madaripur in the afternoon when their motorcade came under attack. Armed with sticks, shields, iron rods, machetes, Chinese axes, hammers, spikes, knives, and other lethal weapons, 900 to 1,000 named and unnamed attackers approached the main gate of the district jail.
They broke through the jail’s first gate, reaching the main entrance, and unleashed widespread destruction by vandalizing the saluting dais, jail canteen, and visitors’ area. When prison guard Rajon Matubber attempted to stop them, he was severely beaten.
The attackers then attempted to break the main gate and the armoury, stormed the jail premises, and tried to rescue inmates.
They also vandalized a pickup truck and other prison property, setting a scooter and a motorcycle on fire. In self-defence, 19 rounds of rubber bullets were fired into the air.
A separate case has been filed against 282 leaders and activists of Jubo League and Chhatra League on charges of blocking the highway in Tungipara by burning tyres and causing panic and traffic disruption in an attempt to obstruct the NCP rally.
Another 150 to 200 unnamed individuals have also been accused in the same case. Tungipara police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khorshed Alam confirmed the matter.
The case was filed on Tuesday night under the Special Powers Act by Sub-Inspector (SI) Monir Hossain of Tungipara police station.
According to the case statement, on July 16, to foil the NCP rally in Gopalganj, Jubo League and Chhatra League activists held a procession on behalf of the Awami League and blocked the highway between Pirojpur and Dhaka in Tungipara by setting tyres on fire, disrupting traffic, and spreading panic among the public. They also attempted to damage public property around the highway.
OC Khorshed Alam said that since July 16, 29 individuals, including 23 named in the case, have been arrested in Tungipara and sent to jail through court. However, no new arrests have been made in the case filed on Tuesday night.
He added that police operations would continue while ensuring that innocent people are not harassed.
Earlier, on the night of Saturday, four murder cases were filed by the police in connection with the killing of four youths. A total of 5,400 unidentified individuals were accused in murder cases.
Additionally, two cases were filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Gopalganj Sadar police station, and one case each under the Special Powers Act was filed with Kashiani and Kotalipara police stations.
Among the four cases, names of 358 leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations were mentioned, and another 2,650 individuals were accused as unnamed.
Eleven new arrests were made in connection with these cases.
