At least 10 leaders and activists of the National Citizen Party were injured on Saturday while attempting to resist an attack and vandalism targeting the stage and pavilion of a fruit festival programme organised by the party in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj.
Witnesses said the attack took place in two phases, during which the attackers dismantled the pavilion structure and extensively damaged chairs and tables.
According to the organizers, NCP’s chief coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary was scheduled to attend the event as the chief guest at Kuliyadi Government Primary School field in Daudpur Union of the upazila.
Locals and witnesses said the NCP organized the fruit festival at the school field on Saturday afternoon, with preparations—including the construction of the stage and pavilion—ongoing since the previous day.
NCP leaders alleged that around 8:00 pm on Friday, a group of miscreants carried out a motorcycle show of force and, armed with local weapons, destroyed the stage and pavilion for the first time, creating panic in the area.
Later, with support from the local administration, preparations resumed on Saturday morning but at around 3:00 pm, while construction work was still underway, 50–60 motorcycles carrying armed attackers arrived and launched a second time attacks, completely vandalizing the stage, pavilion, chairs, and tables.
At least 10 NCP activists, including Rupganj Upazila Joint Member Secretary Farabi Hasan, Narayanganj District Joint Member Secretary Yusuf Molla, and youth wing leader Yasin Arafat, were injured.
The injured were admitted to Rupganj Upazila Health Complex and other hospitals.
Following the incident, police along with Rupganj Upazila BNP President Mahfuzur Rahman Humayun visited the site to assess the situation and console the injured activists.
However, the NCP activists chanted slogans such as ‘fake, fake’ against him, and he faced strong protests from the crowd.
NCP activists alleged that the attack was led by Sultan Mahmud, former senior vice president of Narayanganj District Chhatra Dal, claiming that JCD activists carried out the attack in the presence of police.
However, denying the allegations, Sultan Mahmud said, ‘I know nothing about this. False propaganda is being spread against me intentionally.’
Mahfuzur Rahman said, ‘Those who carried out such attacks and vandalism are not from our party. Awami collaborators are doing this to defame BNP.’
After visiting the scene, Narayanganj District Police Senior Assistant Superintendent Mehedi Islam said an untoward incident had taken place at the NCP fruit festival programme but the situation is now under control.
