NCP, Anti-Discrimination protesters lift blockade after three hours in Patiya

The protesters give authorities until Thursday noon to announce their decision on the removal of three police officers

Protesters from the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement cleared their blockade on Zakir Hossain Road in Chattogram.

After nearly three hours on Wednesday evening, the blockade was cleared following discussions with Chattogram Range DIG Ahsan Habib Palash.

The protest began around 4pm, severely disrupting traffic in the area. Protesters demanded the removal of the chief of Patiya Police Station and urged the DIG to come out of his office and listen to their demands.

Around 6:45pm, Ahsan came out to speak with the protesters. Protesters then demanded the dismissal of the circle’s assistant superintendent of police and the district superintendent of police as well.

Additional DIG Sanjay Sarkar said, “They have given us a deadline of 12pm tomorrow. We will inform them of a decision by then.”

On Tuesday, members of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement detained a Chhatra League leader in Patiya's Shaheed Minar area and took him to the local police station, demanding that police formally arrest him.

According to local journalists, when the activists allegedly tried to physically assault the BCL leader at the police station, officers intervened, leading to a scuffle in which several people were injured, the journalists said.

In protest, the activists announced a plan to surround the police station via social media.

On Wednesday morning, protesters gathered outside the Patiya Police Station and later blocked the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar Highway in the Bypass area.

Later in the evening, Sanjay said a three-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident at Patiya Police Station, and appropriate action will be taken against those found responsible.