Prohibitory orders in Brahmanbaria amid tension over minister's programme

The administration in Brahmanbaria has imposed Section 144 restricting people's movement in four Upazilas amid tension over Fisheries Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque's programme.

Brahmanbaria Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 23 April 2017, 06:57 AM
Updated : 23 April 2017, 06:57 AM

All kinds of rallies and public gatherings have been prohibited at Sadar, Bijaynagar, Ashuganj and Sarail Upazilas from 6am to 12pm on Sunday, said Brahmanbaria police's Special Branch OC Md Nabir Hossain,

"The Upazila administrations have imposed Section 144 in an effort to manage the law and order situation amid tension over Minister Sayedul Haque's programme," he told bdnews24.com.

Minister Haque was scheduled on Sunday to attend the inauguration of a veterinary hospital and a citizens' rally at Bijaynagar Upazila.

At a press briefing on Thursday, local Upazila Chairman Tanvir Bhuiyan and Bijaynagar Awami League President Jahirul Islam Bhuiyan announced their boycott of the event as the local MP RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury was not invited.

The local Awami League and its affiliates then called a shutdown for Sunday to stop the programme. Tensions ran high when Minister Haque's supporters in Bijaynagar announced that they will hold the programme by any means.

On Friday, the livestock department offices at Bijaynagar were attacked and the Upazila livestock officer was assaulted. The attackers also vandalised a foundation stone, which had Minister Haque's name on it.

Local media reports said that the local Awami League chief, known to be a supporter of MP Chowdhury, has announced mobilise 20,000 people to stop the minister from coming to Bijaynagar.

Amid the tensions, authorities deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops late on Saturday and banned all kind of public gatherings. 

"We are monitoring the situation and will initiate immediate measures if any untoward incident erupts," said Brahmanbaria Deputy Commissioner Rezwanur Rahman.

In October last year, at least 15 Hindu temples and more than a hundred homes at Hindu neighbourhoods were vandalised and looted at the district's Nasirnagar Upazila over an image posted on Facebook which allegedly insulted Islam.

bdnews24.com investigations revealed that a feud between Minister Sayedul Hoque and MP RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury fuelled the assault on the religious minority.