Police block Jatiya Nagarik Party convoy in Habiganj amid Section 144 order

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

Leaders of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) were intercepted by law enforcement authorities on Wednesday as they attempted to travel from Srimangal to Habiganj, marking a second confrontation with police that stranded the group on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway. The standoff began in the afternoon after the party’s convoy was initially blocked near the Tea Girl sculpture in Srimangal before being halted again by a barricade at Kamaiichhara in the Bahubal upazila.

The convoy, which included NCP convener Nahid Islam, chief organizer Sarjis Alam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, and Hasnat Abdullah, remained at the scene as of early evening. Officers from the police and the Special Security and Protection Battalion, numbering over two hundred, maintained a tight perimeter around a bus strategically positioned across the road to prevent further movement. Despite intermittent rain, party members staged a protest on the highway, chanting slogans against what they described as partisan administrative interference.

The NCP had originally scheduled a public rally in Habiganj town for 3:00 p.m., but their plans were disrupted when the local district administration imposed Section 144, prohibiting public gatherings, in response to a counter-program announced by the Habiganj district branch of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal. The imposition of these restrictions aimed to prevent potential clashes between the competing political groups.

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

Read More

Addressing the barricade, Sarjis Alam criticized the administration, suggesting that the local political climate was being manipulated to mirror past partisan governance. The NCP leaders subsequently pivoted their strategy, announcing intentions to hold a press conference in the area. While law enforcement officials did not provide an immediate statement regarding the specific blockade, security sources indicated that the actions were taken as a precautionary measure to maintain public order and prevent potential escalation.