Houses of 2 AL leaders vandalised after AL holds rally in Netrokona

Houses of two Awami League leaders were vandalised in Netrokona on Friday after the party held a brief rally in the town, defying the government ban on its activities.

The rally triggered protests by Jamaat-e-Islami, BNP, and Khelafat Andolan throughout the evening.

Police and locals said the AL rally, led by its district unit Vice-President and former municipality mayor Prashanta Kumar Roy, took place around noon in the Chhoto Bazar area.

Videos on social media showed Prashanta addressing supporters outside the party office.

Later, Jamaat activists brought out a procession from the town's central mosque around 6:30pm, which ended at the District Press Club.

There, they held a rally, presided over by Netrokona municipality Jamaat chief Rafiqul Islam. Leaders, including municipal nayeb-e-ameer Abul Hossain Talukder and district Labour Welfare Federation President Kamal Uddin, addressed the gathering.

Later around 8:00pm, BNP men, led by district convener Md Anwarul Haque, took out a protest march from the party's Chhoto Bazar office. Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and other affiliated organisations also joined the procession.

Meanwhile, Khelafat Andolan staged a protest around 9:30pm, led by central Assistant Secretary General Gazi Muhammad Abdur Rahim.

Around 8:30pm, unidentified miscreants attacked the house of Prashanta in the Boro Bazar area.

According to witnesses, over a hundred people stormed the building, broke doors, ransacked rooms, and vandalised water tanks and pipelines.

Prashanta's wife Roma Roy, his brother, sister-in-law, and several domestic workers were inside the house at the time.

"No one came to help," said Roma. "We called police but got no response."

The same night, another attack was reported at the home of Chhatra League's Kailati union unit President Tarikul Islam in Sadar upazila.

Vandals broke in, destroyed furniture, and looted three goats, said the family.

"My son hasn't been home in the last nine months," said his mother, Mina Akter.

"I live alone, and we've been attacked three times already. I'm afraid to even go to the police."

Contacted, Netrokona Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kazi Shah Newaz today said, "We have detained two individuals over the Awami League rally. No written complaints have been filed regarding the attacks. Legal action will be taken if complaints are lodged."