DHAKA, JUL 24 (V7N) – The interim government has established a six-member probe commission to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the violence that erupted in Gopalganj on July 16, 2025. The incident, centered around a scheduled rally of the National Citizen Party (NCP), resulted in at least four fatalities and dozens of injuries, alongside attacks on various establishments and a significant disruption to public security.

The commission will be headed by former Justice Dr. Md. Abu Tarique. The other distinguished members include:

Khandoker M Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Secretary (Public Security Division)

M Saiful Islam, Additional Secretary (Senior District and Session Judge) Law and Justice Division

Brigadier General Shahidur Rahman Osmani, Commander 21 Artillery Brigade

Sarder Nurul Amin, Director, Central Police Hospital, and Additional Police Inspector General

Professor Dr. Sajjad Siddiqui, Chairman (Peace and Conflict Studies Department), Dhaka University

This high-powered commission was formed based on the recommendations of an initial probe committee established immediately after the violence. Its core objectives are to:

Unearth the root causes behind the violence.

Identify the individuals or organizations responsible for attacking the NCP rally.

Provide recommendations for legal action against those found responsible.

The commission has been granted the flexibility to include any suitable person as an additional member if deemed necessary for its investigation.

Initial reports from the immediate aftermath of the incident suggest that supporters of the Awami League and the now-banned Chhatra League launched a "planned attack" on the NCP’s "July March" event in Gopalganj. Following the escalation of violence, the local administration imposed Section 144 (prohibiting gatherings of five or more people), deployed the army, and eventually enforced a curfew to restore law and order as the situation continued to deteriorate.

The commission's mandate extends beyond the direct rally attack to include investigating "relevant other events including the attack on different government establishments along with the district jail and the matter of disrupting citizen security."

The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs will provide secretarial assistance to the commission and cover its necessary costs. The commission has been tasked with submitting its report, complete with recommendations, to the concerned ministry within three weeks.

This investigation is crucial as the National Citizen Party (NCP), founded on February 28, 2025, by student leaders who spearheaded the July 2024 uprising against the former government, aims to establish itself as a new political force in Bangladesh. The violence in Gopalganj, the ancestral home and stronghold of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, underscores the deep political divisions that persist in the country. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has vowed to ensure accountability for the incident.

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