Published : 29 Aug 2026, 04:34 AM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:36 AM
A scuffle has broken out in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi after a “Joy Bangla” slogan was chanted during a protest demanding a fair investigation and justice for the brutal murder of retired Rangpur District school teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and three members of his family.
Participants say that when one of the speakers finished his speech, he said “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”. This led to three people confronting him, leading to a quarrel. After some time, police personnel also came to the scene.
Mohammadpur police said that after the “Joy Bangla” slogan was shouted, they went to the scene of the protest and seized several banners. The process of filing a case in this regard is under way, they said.
The protest was held on Friday afternoon in front of the Meena Bazar supermarket on Dhanmondi Road No. 27 under the banners of “Sachetan Nagorik Shomaj”, “Sachetan Prokousholi Shomaj”, and “Sachetan Shikhok Shomaj”, demanding justice for Ganapati and his family.
One of the organisers of the rally was activist and artist Kamal Pasha Chowdhury.
At the human chain demonstration, he said: “Ganapati Chakraborty and his family have been brutally murdered. The innocent faces seen in their photos keep flashing before my eyes.
“My heart aches, I cannot hold back my tears. What kind of society are we living in? What are we teaching in the schools, colleges and universities of this country? Are we becoming a barbaric nation?”
He said, “We made a country and achieved independence through the blood of 3 million martyrs. We cannot let this independence be destroyed before our eyes. That is why we have taken to the streets. Different threats have been made. We have received several phone calls to prevent us from holding this protest rally.”
Kamal ended his speech with the slogan “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”. Three people then came and protested the slogan.
One of those complaining said, without identifying himself: “Awami League is a banned political party. You call it a social protest programme. So why are you shouting the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan?”
There was a brief altercation between the protesters and the organisers. Later, they left the demonstration.
Golam Mujtaba Dhrubo, organising secretary of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), who took part in the rally, said: “There was a pre-arranged programme. More than 100 people gathered there. Two or three people, including Kamal Pasha, spoke. After Kamal Bhai spoke, he shouted the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan.
“Then two to three boys protested and said, ‘Why are you shouting the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan at a social programme? The Awami League is banned.’ There was a brief altercation. The atmosphere became a bit heated, so those who had come quickly left.”
Kamal told bdnews24.com after the demonstration, “After the programme was over, when everyone was chatting, some people came and shouted at us. It put everyone in a bit of an embarrassing situation. Then police came again, about an hour later. They were doing a check-up, but I haven’t heard of anyone being arrested.”
However, police say a case will be filed over the incident. Mohammadpur Police chief Abdul Halim said, “What happened is that they were standing behind a banner of Sachetan Prokoushal Shomaj while holding pictures of the four murder victims in Rangpur. While speaking to protest against the murders, some said ‘Joy Bangla’ from behind.
“We were nearby. We went and grabbed the banner and the people fled. We identified the people who were there. The process for legal action in this regard is underway.”
Halim said that several banners had been seized from the scene.
