In the wake of violent clashes surrounding the rally and motorcade of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) in Gopalganj, police have filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, naming 75 individuals and listing another 400 as unidentified suspects.

According to Gopalganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Anisur Rahman, who confirmed the development to Somoy Sangbad on Friday (July 18), the situation escalated when supporters of the ruling Awami League and its student wing, the Chhatra League, engaged in repeated confrontations with law enforcement and NCP activists.

The disturbances took place on July 16, during NCP’s “March for Nation Building” campaign. That morning, a police vehicle was set on fire, and the motorcade of the Upazila Nirbahi Officer was also attacked. Authorities claim local leaders and activists of the Awami League and Chhatra League were involved.

Later in the day, the stage prepared for the NCP rally was stormed by ruling party supporters, who reportedly vandalized sound equipment, microphones, and chairs, and assaulted NCP members. Police intervened and escorted NCP leaders to safety.

Roughly thirty minutes after the assault, the NCP resumed their rally at the same location under police protection, with central leaders like Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, and Akhtar Hossain addressing the crowd. However, as they began to depart, the convoy was attacked again—this time by a larger group of Chhatra League members.

The violence intensified, spilling into various parts of Gopalganj town. As clashes erupted between the attackers and security forces, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the military were called in to support the police. Eventually, NCP leaders sought refuge at the office of the Superintendent of Police and were later evacuated to Khulna in an armored personnel carrier (APC) provided by the army.

In response to the unrest, a curfew was imposed from 8 PM Wednesday to 6 PM Thursday. Later, the Ministry of Home Affairs extended the curfew indefinitely, with a short three-hour relaxation window from 11 AM to 2 PM on Thursday. This led to a partial return to normalcy, although law enforcement remained highly visible throughout the area.

Additionally, joint security operations carried out overnight reportedly led to the detention of around 45 individuals.