A total of 13 cases have now been filed in connection with the violence surrounding the National Citizen Party’s (NCP) rally in Gopalganj, including one under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
In the latest case, filed on Tuesday night, 447 named activists of the banned Awami League, its outlawed student wing Chhatra League, and affiliated organizations have been accused, along with 5,000 unnamed individuals.
The case was lodged at Gopalganj Sadar Police Station by Inspector (Investigation) Motiar Rahman. With this, the total number of accused across all cases has reached 15,584—1,134 named individuals and 14,450 unnamed.
The cases, filed at Sadar, Kashiani, Tungipara, and Kotalipara police stations, stem from incidents including the attack on the NCP rally, vandalism at the district jail and public property, arson, attacks on police, and other anti-state activities. Since July 16, police have arrested 327 individuals from various parts of the district in connection with the violence.
Confirming the latest developments, Gopalganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mir Mohammad Sajedur Rahman said the new case under the Anti-Terrorism Act has been officially recorded.
Prominent accused in the cases include Mahbub Ali Khan, President of Gopalganj Awami League; Sheikh Rakib Hossain, Vice-President and former municipal mayor; Kazi Liaquat Ali Leku, President of Sadar Upazila AL and former mayor; Golam Kabir, President of City AL; Alimuzzaman (Bitu), General Secretary; Joint Secretary Ali Naeem Khan Jimmy; MM Masud Rana, Acting President of District Jubo League; and Nitish Roy, former vice-chairman of Sadar Upazila Parishad, among others.
According to case details, on July 16, leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its affiliated wings stormed the NCP rally at the Gopalganj municipal park open stage, creating widespread panic and disrupting public order.
The attackers allegedly carried out anti-state acts, hurled explosives at law enforcement, and assaulted security personnel with the intent to kill.
Earlier, on July 26, a murder case was filed by Jamal Munshi, the brother of victim Ramzan Munshi, naming unknown assailants. Four murder cases had already been filed by police on July 19, naming 5,400 unidentified perpetrators.
Additional charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Special Powers Act were filed in separate cases across Sadar, Kashiani, Tungipara, and Kotalipara police stations, including an attack on the district jail.
The violence erupted on July 16 when activists of the outlawed Awami League and banned Chhatra League allegedly attacked NCP’s planned march in Gopalganj. The five-hour-long unrest resulted in the deaths of four individuals, with a fifth dying the next day at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
n response, a Section 144 emergency order was enforced across the city, followed by a curfew from 8 PM on July 16 until 6 PM the next day.
The curfew was extended multiple times before being lifted on July 20, after which normalcy began to return.
Educational institutions resumed classes and exams, businesses reopened, and public transport across all routes resumed operations. Authorities say the situation in Gopalganj is now calm and stable.
