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Patuakhali, June 13, 2025: The Dashmina Upazila unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its affiliated organizations held a protest rally on Friday (June 13) morning around 10 AM, despite the imposition of Section 144 under the Criminal Procedure Code of 1898. The BNP has been accused of violating administrative orders by organizing the rally.
According to sources, tension escalated in Dashmina Sadar and Banshbaria Union Parishad areas of Dashmina Upazila as two political parties announced simultaneous yet separate programs. Fearing deterioration of law and order, Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Irtiza Hasan imposed Section 144 from 8 AM on Friday (June 13) to 8 AM on Sunday (June 15). The order banned all kinds of gatherings, protest rallies, public assemblies, carrying explosives, firearms, or homemade weapons, and the movement or presence of five or more people in the specified areas.
The protest was reportedly in response to an earlier incident on Thursday (June 12) evening in Char Bishwas Union of Galachipa Upazila, where a clash occurred between members of the Gano Adhikar Parishad and BNP. Additionally, around 9 PM that day, BNP activists allegedly confined Gano Adhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur for nearly four hours in the Patabunia Bottola Bazar area of Galachipa. Nur was later rescued by police and army personnel.
Dashmina Upazila BNP General Secretary Shah Alam Shanu stated that the rally was called spontaneously on Thursday night to protest the Galachipa incident. He claimed the BNP was not informed about the imposition of Section 144 beforehand. “We learned about it through the administration’s announcement after our rally. No further programs were held afterward,” he added.
Meanwhile, similar tensions between BNP and Gano Adhikar Parishad in Galachipa Upazila led to the imposition of Section 144 there as well. The situation remains tense in both upazilas of Patuakhali.
Efforts to contact Patuakhali District Administrator and District Magistrate Abu Hasnat Mohammad Arefin for comments were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.
AI/MR
