Political parties have strongly condemned the attack on Gono Odhikar Parishad president and former Dhaka University Central Students’ Union vice-president Nurul Haque Nur, who, along with dozens of activists, was injured in a baton charge by law enforcers in Dhaka on Friday evening.
The incident sparked widespread outrage, leading to protests across many districts, on Saturday as demonstrators demanded justice and accountability for the attack.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan, Amar Bangladesh Party, Student Against Discrimination, and Ganosamhati Andolan in separate statements condemned the attack on Nur and his party leaders and activists.Â
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party central office in Kakrail came under attack as a group of unidentified individuals set it on fire in the presence of law enforcers on Saturday evening, a day after the clash broke out between activists of Jatiya Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad in front of the office on Friday.
JP joint secretary general Deloar Jalali told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that the attack was carried out after leaders and activists of the party left the office after attending a programme at about 6:30pm.
‘About 10 minutes after we left the office, some unidentified people set it afire. Also, a group tried to attack the party chair Ghulam Muhammed Quader’s house in Dhaka’s Uttara in the evening. The police have been deployed there,’ he added.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner for media and public relations Mohammad Talebur Rahman told ¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· that a group of people had attacked the office in the evening and set it ablaze.
‘The individuals are still in front of the office, trying to destablise the situation. The police have been deployed in the area,’ he added.
The law enforcers have been deployed on the spot to control the situation as of 7:15pm.
Two journalists were injured while a group of people were protesting and throwing bricks in front of the Jatiya Party office, said Mohammad Faruk, in-charge of the police outpost at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Those injured were Naimur Rahman Durjoy of Bangladesh Protidin and GM Mojibur Rahman of online news portal Bangla News.
A man named Subrata, who took the injured to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said that a group of protesters started throwing bricks in front of the JP office.
At that time, bricks hit their heads, he said, adding that later they were rushed to hospital.
Meanwhile, demonstrations took place in Tangail, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Barishal, and Gazipur, where activists brought out processions, blocked highways, and vandalising JP offices.
In Tangail, protesters attacked the Jatiya Party district office and blocked the Dhaka–Tangail–Jamuna Setu highway, demanding a ban on the party.
In Chattogram, over a hundred activists staged sit-ins and road blockades, calling for the arrest of those responsible, including city-level Jatiya Party leaders.
Rajshahi University students also blocked the Dhaka–Rajshahi highway and held rallies condemning the attack, while JP offices in Rajshahi were vandalised and set on fire.
Protesters in Barishal demand justice for the attack on Nur and called for an immediate ban on the Jatiya Party, giving authorities a 24-hour ultimatum for the ban.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman strongly condemned the attack on Gono Odhikar Parishad leader Nurul Haque Nur and the violent clashes that erupted at Kakrail, describing the incident as a threat to the country’s fragile democratic transition.
In a post on his official X and Facebook accounts, Tarique emphasised that Bangladesh was passing through a critical phase, with national elections representing the first step towards restoring democracy.
He urged pro-democracy stakeholders, including the BNP and its allies, to act with restraint and tolerance, highlighting that the spirit of the past year’s mass uprising must be upheld.
Tarique also conveyed his good wishes for Nur’s speedy recovery and called on the government to conduct a judicial investigation into the attack.
In a separate statement, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir reiterated the party’s respect for peaceful political programmes and condemned the assault on Nur.
He demanded proper medical care for the injured and wished them a swift recovery.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Mia Golam Parwar expressed grave concern, describing the attack as ‘deeply concerning and shameful’ at a time when the nation was striving to build a new Bangladesh.
He called for the immediate arrest and punishment of those responsible.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh joint secretary general and party spokesperson, Gazi Ataur Rahman, said that the assault on a frontline anti-fascist leader like Nurul Haque Nur was totally unacceptable and reminiscent of past authoritarian practices.
He demanded that authorities identify the perpetrators and ensure accountability.
The Amar Bangladesh Party similarly condemned the attack, stating that Nur and his followers had come under assault by police and army personnel.
‘Nearly 50 activists, including Nur himself, were injured in the indiscriminate attack. We strongly condemn this heinous assault,’ the party said.
Protesting the incident, the National Citizen Party staged a gathering at Banglamotor on Friday night, which culminated in a procession denouncing the attacks.
Student Against Discrimination president Rifat Rashid and general secretary Hasan Imam condemned the attack, demanding immediate medical care for the injured and swift actions to identify and punish those responsible.
The statement said that during the attack on Nur, Student Against Discrimination central coordinator and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad general secretary Nazmul Hasan, were seriously injured.
Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki and executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel also denounced the violence, calling it unacceptable and urging authorities to hold the perpetrators accountable.
Protesting the attack on Nur, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dhaka Metropolitan South, organised a protest rally at the Baitul Mukarram north gate in the city.
The event was attended by Jamaat assistant secretary generals AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad and Abdul Halim.
The rally concluded with a march to Matsyabhaban intersection, where a brief gathering was held to reiterate opposition to the attack and demand justice for Nur and other injured.
¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Correspondent from Tangail, reported that leaders and activists of the Gono Odhikar Parishad staged a protest procession on Saturday noon at Tangail.
The demonstration moved to the Jatiya Party district office in Chhayani Bazar, where protesters vandalised office furniture.
The demonstrators also blocked the Dhaka–Tangail–Jamuna Setu highway at the Nagar Jolfai Bypass for approximately 30 minutes, raising slogans demanding ban on Jatiya Party politics.
¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Staff Correspondent from Chattogram reported that over a hundred Gono Odhikar Parishad activists gathered at the Sholoshahar Gate No 2 crossing around midday.
The protesters blocked roads, burned tyres, and used traffic barricades to halt vehicles, causing a significant traffic gridlock.
Later, a section of demonstrators staged a sit-in at the Chattogram Metropolitan Police headquarters, demanding the arrest of those involved in the attack, including local Jatiya Party city president Solaiman Alam Seth.
After discussions with police officials, protest leaders said that assurances were given that arrests would be made, prompting the withdrawal of the crowd by mid-afternoon.
¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Staff Correspondent from Rajshahi reported that students of Rajshahi University blocked the Dhaka–Rajshahi highway for about an hour, staging a rally to demand justice for Nur and other party leaders.
RU Chhatra Odhikar Parishad president Mehedi Hasan Maruf called on the interim government to take the responsibility for the attack.
Protesters also condemned the rehabilitation of fascist forces under the guise of the Jatiya Party and the 14-party coalition.
Earlier, activists also vandalised Jatiya Party offices in Rajshahi district and city on Friday night, breaking doors and furniture and setting the party signboards on fire.
¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Correspondent from Barishal reported that leaders and activists of Gano Odhikar Parishad held a protest march from the Central Shaheed Minar to Ashwini Kumar Hall in Barishal on Saturday at noon, giving authorities a 24-hour ultimatum to bring the culprits of the attack on Nur to justice and to impose a ban on the Jatiya Party.
Later, leaders and activists of the National Citizen Party joined the rally, expressing solidarity with the GOP demands.
¶¶Òõ¾«Æ· Correspondent from Rangpur reported that leaders and activists of Gano Odhikar Parishad staged a protest rally in Rangpur on Saturday noon.
The demonstration began at the Rangpur Press Club, paraded through major city streets, and concluded with holding a rally.
Former leaders of Student Against Discrimination held a protest march in Rangpur on Friday night, beginning at the Press Club and ending up in a rally, expressing solidarity with Nur and condemning the attack.
Meanwhile, leaders and activists of Gano Odhikar Parishad blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway for two and a half hours from 5:00pm on Saturday, protesting at the attack on Nur.
