NCP holds organizational meeting in Brahmanbaria after Hasnat Abdullah apologizes to protesting students

BRAHMANBARIA — A planned protest by Qawmi madrasa students against the National Citizens Party (NCP) in Brahmanbaria was called off Saturday following a public apology from party leader Hasnat Abdullah. The resolution eased tensions that had threatened to disrupt a scheduled political event in the district.

The conflict originated from remarks made by Hasnat Abdullah, the Member of Parliament for Comilla-4, during a National Parliament session last Thursday. Abdullah had criticized the government for its failure to effectively manage incidents where cultural programs were halted at police lines in Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria. Following his comments, the Brahmanbaria District Qawmi Student Unity Council staged a protest on Friday, accusing Abdullah of making statements that conflicted with local cultural values. The students demanded a public apology and threatened to obstruct the NCP’s scheduled organizational meeting.

The situation intensified when both the NCP and the Qawmi Student Unity Council announced competing programs at the District Shilpakala Academy for Saturday. District Administrator Md. Abu Sayeed confirmed that the NCP’s request to hold their meeting at the academy was denied, as the venue is reserved for cultural activities rather than political gatherings.

Tensions subsided Saturday afternoon after Hasnat Abdullah issued a statement on his Facebook page. He clarified that his parliamentary remarks were intended to hold the Home Minister accountable for maintaining law and order, and expressed regret for any misunderstanding caused to the people and religious scholars of Brahmanbaria. Following the apology, NCP leaders held discussions with representatives of the Jamia Islamia Yunuchia Madrasa. Abdul Khalek, a member of the Student Unity Council, stated that the organization withdrew its protest as their demands had been met.

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With the blockade lifted, the NCP proceeded with its organizational coordination meeting on Saturday evening at an open field in front of the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Bhasha Mancha, as they were unable to secure the Shilpakala Academy venue. NCP leaders, including Mohammad Ataullah, Sarjis Alam, and Nasiruddin Patwary, were in attendance.

Local authorities maintained a heavy security presence throughout the day. Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Shahidul Islam reported that intelligence monitoring and police patrols were intensified to ensure public safety and maintain order in the district.

The tensions were rooted in a mid-August incident where a cultural program at the Brahmanbaria Police Lines was disrupted, leading to a violent clash between students and police that left at least 30 people injured. Prior mediation by local political leaders had initially restored calm before the recent political dispute reignited the situation.