AL office unlocked in presence of Panchagarh BNP leader day after election

A day after the 13th parliamentary election, the lock on the Chaklahat union Awami League office in Panchagarh Sadar upazila was opened in the presence of a local BNP leader.

The incident took place this morning, when Panchagarh Sadar upazila BNP President Abu Daud Prodhan was present as the lock on the Awami League office was removed. The party’s political activities remain banned. Within hours, a one-minute, 35-second video of the incident -- featuring remarks by a local Awami League leader -- went viral on Facebook.

However, the BNP leader claimed the move was not a party decision. He said he had asked for the lock, which he alleged had been affixed by activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, to be opened in order to calm tension amongst locals and maintain peace, order, and coexistence in the area.

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The move by the BNP leader, a day after the BNP-nominated candidate secured the seat, sparked mixed reactions on social media. Leaders and activists of BNP, along with members of other political parties and ordinary citizens, posted comments both for and against the incident.

In the viral Facebook video, Chaklahat union Awami League Joint General Secretary Kamruzzaman Bullet was seen speaking in front of the party office, with the BNP leader and former UP chairman standing beside him. Members of the local AL and its associate bodies were also present.

Bullet said, "As the BNP is on the way to forming the government with a landslide victory across Bangladesh, the first step taken by the party was to free our union unit AL office."

At one point, Bullet raised the lock in his right hand before the assembled crowd.

He further said, "Those who wanted to turn this country into Pakistan, who sought to wipe out every pro-independence force in Bangladesh, attacked homes and offices and shut them down."

"We express our gratitude to him [BNP leader Abu Daud] for such generous move," he added.

Former Panchagarh Chhatra Dal leader and Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha leader Yunus Sheikh wrote in a comment, "I fail to understand who authorised the president of Panchagarh Sadar thana to rehabilitate the Awami League."

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Regarding the incident, Sadar upazila BNP President Abu Daud said Jamaat-e-Islami activists had brought out a procession during vote counting, subsequently creating tension in the area.

He said he asked for the lock to be removed to maintain peace and coexistence amongst residents, adding that it was not a party decision. According to him, Jamaat activists themselves removed the lock. He also alleged that some people were circulating the video as part of a conspiracy.

Attempts to contact local Jamaat leaders for comments were unsuccessful as they did not receive phone calls.