Streets empty, shops shuttered in Gopalganj amid curfew; 14 held over clashes

A curfew is in effect in Gopalganj after a day of deadly violence surrounding the National Citizen Party's rally and procession.

Meanwhile, joint security forces have arrested 14 people over their alleged involvement in the clashes on Wednesday. They were later handed over to the police, according to Mir Md Sajedur Rahman, chief of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station.

However, no case has been filed yet over the incidents, he added.

Due to the curfew in place from Wednesday night, the town remained eerily quiet even after dawn on Thursday. There was no sign of the usual morning activities.

Most businesses remained shuttered. The streets were largely deserted, and markets empty. People did not venture outside unless absolutely necessary.

There was also no visible presence or activity from law enforcement, and no patrols were seen. However, security forces were deployed outside the district jail.

As part of its nationwide "July March" campaign, the NCP organised a "March to Gopalganj" on Wednesday.

Even before the rally began at the municipal park in Gopalganj, unrest broke out when roads were blocked, leading to the torching of a police vehicle and an attack on the Upazila Nirbahi Officer's car.

As the NCP leaders arrived in town, the unrest escalated further, prompting the deployment of armoured vehicles and four platoons of border guards along with Army personnel to maintain order.

Following incidents of vandalism and arson in Ulpur and Tekerhat in the morning, the venue of the NCP rally came under attack around 1:30pm. Men identified by NCP activists as members of banned political group Awami League and its student affiliate Bangladesh Chhatra League marched to the NCP stage, shouting "Joy Bangla" slogans before launching an assault.

After resuming the rally briefly, central NCP leaders attempted to leave for Madaripur under police and military protection. But around 2:45pm, as the convoy reached near Gopalganj Government College in the Launch Ghat area, they came under renewed attack, culminating in clashes between the assailants and law enforcers.

Throughout the day, Gopalganj resembled a battlefield as explosions, arson, and gunfire filled the air. Loud blasts from improvised bombs, stun grenades, and tear gas, along with continuous running battles, led to widespread panic, prompting the shuttering of most shops and businesses.

At least four bodies were brought to Gopalganj 250-Bed General Hospital in the aftermath of the clashes. Fifteen others were injured, with three in critical condition later transferred to Dhaka.

To contain the situation, the local administration banned public gatherings under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in the afternoon. When that failed to restore order, a full curfew was enforced in the evening.

By Wednesday night, Gopalganj had turned into a ghost town. While a few rickshaws operated in a limited capacity, all other vehicles were off the roads and businesses remained shut. Even during the night, no significant patrol or aggressive deployment of law enforcement was seen in the city.

Even at night, there were no visible patrols or heavy deployments by law-enforcing agencies.