Gono Odhikar Parishad stages nationwide protests over attack on Nur

Leaders and activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) staged protests in Chattogram, Tangail, and Munshiganj today, blocking major highways and bringing traffic to a standstill as they demanded justice for the attack on party president Nurul Haque Nur.

In Chattogram, demonstrators blocked the road at Soloshohor No 2 Gate from around 12:00pm to 2:00pm, chanting slogans against the assault and calling for punishment of those responsible.

The protesters also set fire to tyres, further disrupting traffic.

"They blocked the road for about two hours, halting traffic movement," said Md Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station.

In Tangail, GOP activists vandalised the Jatiya Party office near Tangail Police Station around 11:30am before blocking the Dhaka–Tangail highway at Nagar Jalfai.

Witnesses said the highway remained blocked for about half an hour, leaving vehicles stranded on both sides. After holding a brief rally, protesters left the area, allowing traffic to resume.

"The situation is now calm, and additional police have been deployed," said Tanvir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Tangail Sadar Police Station.

In Munshiganj, around 30-35 protesters blocked the Dhaka–Mawa Expressway in Srinagar upazila's Chhanbari area from 12:15pm to 12:30pm. Police later persuaded them to withdraw.

"Traffic is now normal," said Abu Nayeem Siddiqui, officer-in-charge of Hasara Highway Police Station.

Elsewhere in Munshiganj town, GOP activists brought out a procession from the Shaheed Minar, marching through key streets before ending with a rally at the press club. Speakers at the rally condemned the attack on Nur, demanded justice, and called for the cancellation of Jatiya Party's registration, accusing it of serving as an ally of the former Awami League government.

In Thakurgaon, leaders and activists of Gono Odhikar Parishad vandalised the Haripur upazila unit office of Jatiya Party in the afternoon, protesting the attack on its President Nurul Haque Nur in Dhaka yesterday.

Protesters also vandalised furniture and set them on fire while chanting slogans against Jatiya Party and its leaders, said witnesses at the scene.

Earlier, Gono Odhikar men brought out a procession from Bot Toli area in the upazila headquarters and paraded through different streets.

When the procession reached near the JP office, the activists began vandalising it, they added.

Md Jakaria Mandal, officer-in-charge of Haripur Police Station, said the protesters vandalised furniture of the office and set fire to it around 2:00pm.

In Panchagarh, Gono Odhikar activists staged demonstrations at Sher-e-Bangla intersection in the morning and blocked the Panchagarh-Dhaka highway.

Police later forced them to withdraw the barricade, after which the protesters brought out another procession in the town.

In Pabna, Gono Odhikar Parishad men held a blockade for few minutes at the Jamuna Bridge west zone intersection in Sirajganj, disrupting vehicles movement for half an hour this afternoon.

Sirajganj unit Gono Odhikar Parishad led by President Momin Foysal, Secratery Eusuf Ali organised the rally around 12:30pm as the part of their central programme.

Officer-in-Charge of Hatikumrul Highway Police Station Md Ismail Hossain said demonstrators took off from the highway after a few minutes. Later, vehicular movement went back to normal in the busiest highway of North.

In Gopalganj, Gono Odhikar Parishad organised a torch procession, road blockade, and protest rally.

A torch procession was brought out from the premises of the district office of Gono Odhikar Parishad in the Kolabagan area of Gopalganj town around 7:00pm. The procession paraded through the main streets of the town and ended at Police Lines Mor.

Activists set tyres on fire and blocked the Dhaka-Khulna highway, bringing traffic to a halt on both sides.

Following requests from police, the blockade was lifted around 7:45pm, and traffic on the highway returned to normalcy.

Nur, the former vice president of Ducsu, was critically injured during clashes between Gono Odhikar Parishad and Jatiya Party activists in Dhaka's Bijoynagar area last night, when law enforcement baton-charged demonstrators.

He remains in intensive care at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.