Section 144 imposed in Nandail

District administration imposed section 144 at a union of Mymensingh's Nandail upazila this afternoon, after two factions of the ruling Awami League announced to hold rallies at the same venue and time this afternoon.

The two factions – one allegedly belongs to lawmaker Anwarul Abedin Khan Tuhin and another loyal to former lawmaker Major Gen (Retd) Abdus Salam, also president of Nandail upazila AL – announced to hold separate rallies at Merenga Bazar area of the upazila at the same time.

Centring the rallies, a tense situation prevailed there since morning, reports our Mymensingh correspondent.

To avoid any untoward incident, Nandail upazila administration imposed section 144 around 3:00pm till 10:00am tomorrow, said Mohammad Shahnoor Alam, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Nandail.

Following the decision, both factions blocked Mymensingh-Kishoreganj road at the upazila headquarters and Nandail Bazar areas around 3:00pm, disrupting road communication for over four hours.

The blockade was withdrawn around 7:30pm, said Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Nandail Police Station.

Additional police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel have been patrolling the area, sources said.