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Published : 19 Jul 2025, 07:44 PM
The National Citizen Party (NCP) has been forced to abandon rallies in Cox’s Bazar’s Eidgaon and Chakaria following protests by the BNP loyalists angered by comments by NCP leader Nasiruddin Patwary branding BNP’s Salahuddin Ahmed a “new godfather”.
The BNP supporters vandalised road dividers near the planned venue in Chakaria, prompting police and Army personnel to intervene and bring the situation under control.
Unable to continue with their scheduled rallies, the NCP leaders left Cox’s Bazar in a motorcade and headed towards Bandarban.
SM Suja Uddin, the NCP joint member secretary, said at 5pm on Saturday: “We have crossed Chakaria, but some people remain stuck.”
Earlier in the afternoon, the NCP held a rally at Shaheed Daulat Maidan in Cox’s Bazar as part of its series of programmes under the “July March”.
During the event, Nasiruddin, the NCP chief organiser, made “controversial comments” targeting Salahuddin, an influential BNP Standing Committee Member.
“Previously during the Awami League rule, Narayanganj was known for its famous godfather Shamim Osman,” Nasiruddin said. “Now I hear a new godfather has arrived in Cox’s Bazar from Shillong. He is grabbing enclosures, taking over people’s land, and extorting money.”
The remarks, once broadcast in the media, sparked widespread protests by the BNP activists and affiliate groups across the district.
Around 2:30pm, following the Cox’s Bazar rally, the NCP convoy departed the area, with plans to stop for further rallies in the two Upazilas.
Facing resistance at both locations, the party, however, cancelled its events and rerouted to Bandarban.
As tension rose, the BNP supporters clashed with police near the rally venue in Chakaria.
Police chased the attackers while demonstrators occupied the highway in protest.
Chakaria Police Station chief Shafiqul Islam said the situation was under control and traffic on the highway remained normal.
Back in Cox’s Bazar town, members of the BNP’s student faction, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, also protested.
They tore down the the NCP banners and festoons surrounding the rally venue, set fires to them on the road, and held a protest march followed by a gathering.
District Chhatra Dal leader Fahimur Rahman said, “Salahuddin Ahmed is a symbol of pride for all of Bangladesh. Nasiruddin Patwary has made vulgar remarks about him.”
“Nasiruddin lacks family and social upbringing, which is why he makes such offensive comments,” he added.
Salahuddin served three terms as MP for the Cox’s Bazar-1 (Chakaria-Pekua) constituency between 1996 and 2006. In the 2008 election, his wife Hasina Ahmed won the seat.
On Mar 10, 2015, Salahuddin went missing from Dhaka’s Uttara.
Nearly two months later, on May 11, Indian police found him in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong.
Meghalaya Police arrested him under the Foreigners Act for “illegal entry”.
A lower court acquitted him in 2018, but as the Indian government appealed the verdict, he had to remain in the country.
After the fall of the Awami League government last year, the former BNP state minister returned to Bangladesh on Aug 11, nearly nine years after his disappearance.
