National Citizens Party Leaders File Assault Complaint After Police Block Entry to Habiganj

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National Citizens Party (NCP) leaders aborted a planned trip to Habiganj on Wednesday after facing repeated police blockades on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. The delegation, which included high-ranking party officials, ultimately filed a formal complaint at the Kamraichara police outpost in Bahubal before withdrawing from the area.

The confrontation follows a violent incident on Tuesday, when an NCP motorcade was attacked and several members were assaulted following a “July March” program in Habiganj. Subsequent clashes erupted during a protest march in the city that evening, prompting local authorities to impose Section 144—a restrictive order banning public gatherings—to prevent further escalation between NCP supporters and opposing groups, including local BNP and Chhatra Dal factions.

Despite the administration’s restrictions, a central delegation—including NCP convener Nahid Islam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, and key organizers Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah—attempted to reach Habiganj. According to Bahubal Police Station officer-in-charge Mohammad Ruhul Amin Talukdar, the group was intercepted by police near the Cha-Kannya sculpture in Srimangal, leading to a standoff that lasted for several hours.

Upon reaching the Kamraichara outpost, the delegation filed a formal complaint naming 11 individuals and approximately 100 unidentified suspects in connection with Tuesday’s violence. The complaint, submitted by district Jubo Shakti convener Tanmoy Tareq Rubel, is expected to be processed as a case by the Habiganj Model Police Station.

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Speaking to reporters following the filing, Nahid Islam issued an ultimatum, stating that the authorities must demonstrate their neutrality and distance themselves from the politicized practices of the previous administration. He emphasized that the failure to arrest the perpetrators immediately would signal a return to “mafia-state” conditions. Islam further criticized the current government, alleging it is operating along the same authoritarian lines as its predecessor by failing to establish an independent police commission and disregarding democratic processes.

The tension on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway began to dissipate Wednesday evening as NCP leaders and their supporters departed for Moulvibazar around 8:45 p.m., bringing an end to a prolonged traffic bottleneck. Local law enforcement officials confirmed that the environment in the region has since returned to a state of calm.