Chhatra Dal protests in Bogura, sets NCP leaders' banner on fire

The district unit of Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) held a protest march in Bogura over allegations that leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) had made objectionable comments about Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on social media. At the end of the rally, protesters pulled down a banner bearing the images of several NCP leaders and set it on fire.

The protest march, organised by the district JCD, started from the Altafunnesa Playground in the city on Saturday (August 1) afternoon. The procession paraded through various streets before culminating in a brief rally at Shatmatha, the heart of the city.

Later, the protesters tore down a banner featuring pictures of NCP leaders that had been hung on the Saptapadi Market building in Shatmatha and set it ablaze.

Addressing the rally, district JCD President Habibur Rashid Shandhan alleged that certain responsible individuals of the NCP had made derogatory remarks about Tarique Rahman on social media. He said such remarks are an attempt to disrupt political harmony and hurt the sentiments of the people of Bogura. He demanded that Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir be brought to justice.

District JCD General Secretary M R Hasan Palash said legal action should be taken quickly against the accused over the comments made about Tarique Rahman. He also called on the NCP to issue a public apology.

Earlier on Friday (July 31), protesters had thrown shoes at and set fire to a banner featuring Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir's picture in the Shatmatha area over the same issue. During that protest, demands were also raised to declare Tanvir and NCP Member Secretary Nasiruddin Patwari 'undesirable' in Bogura.

In a related development, the NCP has temporarily relieved its central joint member secretary Gazi Salahuddin Tanvir from his duties over the controversial social media post. The party has issued a show-cause notice and asked him to submit a written explanation within a stipulated time.