Anti-discrimination rally shuts down Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar road

NN Online:

Hundreds of activists from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement staged a demonstration outside the Patiya Police Station in Chattogram from around 10am on Wednesday, severely disrupting traffic on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway and causing significant inconvenience to commuters.

Chattogram Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Russel confirmed the protest and said law enforcement was working to maintain peace and order.

The protest stems from an incident on Tuesday night. According to local journalists, activists from the student movement reportedly detained a leader of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in Patiya’s Shaheed Minar area around 9:30pm and brought him to the police station, demanding his formal arrest.

Tensions escalated when the activists allegedly attempted to physically assault the BCL leader inside the police station. Police intervened to prevent the altercation, resulting in a scuffle that left several individuals injured.

“Someone was brought to the police station with a demand to arrest him. When disorder broke out inside the station, police took action,” ASP Russel stated. “Following this, some students began demonstrating in front of the station from this morning.”

The situation intensified further after Arif Sohel, joint member secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP), made a provocative statement on Facebook Wednesday, writing, “The Patiya Police Station must be reduced to rubble.”

Protesters had announced their plan to surround the station via social media following Tuesday night’s incident.

Efforts to reach Ridwan Siddiqui, joint coordinator of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement in Chattogram, for comment were unsuccessful.