Tensions flared in Chattogram on Monday as members of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and its student wing, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Sena, took to the streets in protest over the death of Mohammad Rois Uddin, a former leader of the group.
The protestors allege Rois was the victim of a premeditated killing while in police custody.
Rois, who served as the Dhaka Metropolitan president of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Sena, died in jail on Apr 28 after being arrested on allegations of child abuse in Gazipur.
Supporters claim he was beaten while tied to a tree by locals before being handed over to authorities, and that his death the following day was the result of state negligence — or worse, deliberate action.
Angered by what they call an “orchestrated murder,” supporters launched a coordinated road blockade across the port city of Chattogram from 9am to noon.
Demonstrations occurred in key areas, including Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Sholshahar, GEC Circle, Saltgola Crossing, Hathazari, Banshkhali, Chandanaish and Nazirhat. The movement disrupted traffic and sparked clashes between protesters and police.
While some gatherings were peaceful, violence broke out shortly after midday in Muradpur Railgate.
Protesters reportedly set fire to a section of the Chattogram-Dohazari railway line, leading to a police response involving sound grenades and arrests.
Protesters retaliated by throwing stones, prompting a chase into nearby areas such as Sunni Madrasa Road.
Police and protest leaders provided conflicting accounts. Chattogram City Police’s Assistant Commissioner Mahmudul Hasan said demonstrators had stayed off main roads and largely avoided disrupting traffic in some areas.
However, SUM Abdus Samad, Secretary General of Bangladesh Islami Front — the political parent of Chhatra Sena — accused law enforcement of initiating the violence.
“We were peacefully demonstrating when the police attacked us without warning. Many of our activists have been detained and injured,” said Samad, pointing to simultaneous crackdowns in Banshkhali and other upazilas.
Though tensions remained high in several protest zones, the blockade in Hathazari ended without incident.
Since Rois’s death, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat has staged a series of nationwide protests, demanding justice and a full investigation. They claim the imam’s death while in custody cannot be separated from the growing marginalisation of their movement.
