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Patuakhali, June 13, 2025 – Tensions flared in Patuakhali’s Galachipa Upazila as clashes erupted between activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Gono Odhikar Parishad, leading to a five-hour ordeal for Nurul Haque Nur, president of Gono Odhikar Parishad. The incident occurred late Thursday night (June 12) in the Patabunia Battala Bazar area, where Nur was held hostage before being rescued by the army and police.
According to local sources, Nur was attacked while returning from a memorial meeting for a deceased party worker, Badal Member, in the Bokulbaria Union. The assailants, allegedly supporters of BNP central leader and Patuakhali-3 (Galachipa-Dashmina) candidacy aspirant Hasan Mamun, blocked Nur’s path, assaulted him, and vandalized 8-10 motorcycles. Nur was held hostage for nearly five hours until the army and police intervened, rescuing him around 4 a.m. and escorting him to the Upazila Dak Bungalow.
In a Facebook post at around 11 p.m. on Thursday, Nur accused Hasan Mamun’s followers of holding him hostage. In a video message, he elaborated, stating, “After the memorial meeting, Hasan Mamun’s supporters blocked our path with felled trees, attacked us with rods and machetes, beat locals, and set fire to several motorcycles.” Nur also criticized the administration, alleging that the police and army failed to immediately disperse the “miscreants.”
Responding to the allegations, Hasan Mamun, who was in Dhaka at the time, denied direct involvement. He claimed that Nur had recently made provocative statements against a senior BNP leader regarding a tendering issue and that Nur’s supporters had attacked BNP activists in Charbishwas Bazar. “Local people may have been agitated due to these incidents,” Mamun said, adding that he had requested the army and police to rescue Nur and emphasized his desire for a peaceful environment in Galachipa.
Shahidul Islam Fahim, central treasurer of Gono Odhikar Parishad, told Dhaka Post that Nur was held for five hours before being rescued and taken to the Upazila Dak Bungalow. He added that the administration later expressed its inability to ensure Nur’s safety in Galachipa and advised him to move to the district town. Fahim accused Hasan Mamun of straining the previously cordial relationship between BNP and Gono Odhikar Parishad. The party is preparing to hold a press conference this afternoon to address the incident.
Efforts to contact Galachipa Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police Md. Syeduzzaman and Galachipa Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Asadur Rahman for comments were unsuccessful.
AI/MR
