Police have accused local BNP adherents of blocking the Hathibandha Police Station in Lalmonirhat in an attempt to prevent law enforcement from responding to an attack on Patgram station, where two detainees were whisked away, reports bdnews24.com.
In response, Hathibandha police started a case naming 27 people, including local leaders of the BNP's affiliate organisations Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, and Krishak Dal, along with over a hundred unidentified individuals.
The case, filed late Thursday by Assistant Sub-Inspector Shahedul Islam, includes charges of obstruction of government work, unlawful confinement of police personnel, and issuing threats.
According to police, during the violent incident at Patgram, activists from nearby Hathibandha formed a barricade outside their own station to stop any support from reaching the area.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (Circle-B) Jayanta Kumar Sen and Hathibandha Police Station chief Mahmudun Nabi reportedly set out in three vehicles to assist law enforcers at Patgram station, but were blocked near the station gate at around 11:30pm.
Officer Nabi said, "Around 70 to 80 motorcycles blocked the road. They held us up for at least 40 minutes, hurling abuse, issuing threats, and even physically shoving us."
Among those named in the case are Hathibandha Jubo Dal President Yunus Ali Khandakar, Swechchhasebak Dal Convener Shah Nurunnabi Kajol, Chhatra Dal President Rubel Islam, and Krishak Dal Convener Aminur Rahman.
BNP leaders, however, denied the allegations.
Kajol said, "We didn't obstruct anyone. We had gone to speak to the police chief about a case. There was a heated exchange because of his behaviour, but there was no attempt to detain police officers."
At a press conference on Friday in Patgram, Hasan Rajib Pradhan, a member of the party's central committee, claimed that two workers of a stone leaseholder had been physically assaulted by police without cause.
"Some tension persisted in the protest, but the BNP had no involvement in any attack or violence," he said.
