Gopalganj: Violence broke out during a rally organized by the youth-led National Citizen Party (NCP) in southern Bangladesh on Wednesday, resulting in at least four deaths and multiple injuries, according to reports from local media outlets.
The rally, held in Gopalganj to mark the first anniversary of the NCP’s mass movement that led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year, descended into chaos when unidentified groups attacked the gathering. Cars were vandalized, and both demonstrators and members of the media were reportedly assaulted.
Interim national leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who took office after Hasina’s exit, condemned the violence on social media platform X. He stated that the peaceful assembly had been disrupted by supporters of the former ruling party, the Awami League, and its affiliated student group.
"To deny young citizens the right to peacefully commemorate a pivotal moment in their democratic struggle is an affront to their constitutional freedoms," Yunus said in his post.
While BBC News Bangla confirmed four fatalities, the Prothom Alo newspaper reported nine injuries. There has been no immediate response from police or medical authorities, and the government has since imposed a curfew in the area.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the Awami League accused security forces of firing on one of its members during the unrest, resulting in a fatality.
The incident underscores the deepening political rift in Bangladesh, with youth movements and civil society groups pushing for reforms amid a climate of volatility and resistance from remnants of the previous regime.