United News of Bangladesh

Police on Wednesday afternoon stopped a convoy of National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders travelling from Moulvibazar to Habiganj following the imposition of Section 144 in Habiganj municipality. The convoy, carrying NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Chief Organiser (South) Hasnat Abdullah and Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam, left the Moulvibazar Circuit House around 4:30pm but was halted in the Cha Kanya area of Sreemangal around 5:00pm. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sreemangal Police Station Abdur Razzak said the NCP leaders were informed of the restrictions in Habiganj and were requested not to proceed there. "Despite being informed, they attempted to continue their journey towards Habiganj. They were stopped due to the enforcement of Section 144 and to prevent any untoward incident," he said. The OC added that law enforcers were working to keep the overall situation under control. NCP leaders and activists remained seated on the road, engaged in arguments with police amid till filing of this report at 7:00pm. Earlier, the Habiganj district administration imposed Section 144 across the municipal area after the NCP and BNP's associate bodies – Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal – announced separate protest rallies on the Town Hall premises at 3:00pm. The restrictions came amid heightened tension following violence in the district on Tuesday evening. The NCP alleged that its leaders Sarjis and Nasiruddin were attacked while leaving the venue after addressing a programme marking the July mass uprising near the Court Mosque. Police later escorted the two leaders to the Circuit House for security. Sarjis blamed activists of Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal for the attack.