An administrative dispute has emerged in the Chhilmari upazila of Kurigram district after structural locks at a government-aided higher education institution were forcefully breached to establish a temporary livestock market ahead of the upcoming religious festival. The incident, which has drawn strong condemnation from institutional heads and district authorities, directly involves a local leader of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal—the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—who allegedly spearheaded the unauthorized occupation of the educational facility’s central sports ground.
The Principal of the institution, Professor Dr Mojibol Haider Chowdhury, publicly confirmed that official state directives strictly prohibit the operation of commercial livestock markets within the perimeters of active educational institutions. In alignment with these national statutory provisions, the college Staff Council had previously convened an emergency administrative session and formally passed a resolution denying any institutional permission for the trade of animals on the property.
Failure of Administrative Prevention and Police Response
According to institutional logs, the college administration took proactive legal measures to prevent the anticipated trespass. On Wednesday, 20 May 2026, formal written notifications detailing the threat of an unauthorized market were dispatched directly to the Chhilmari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), the District Commissioner (DC) of Kurigram, and the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Chhilmari Police Station.
Despite these preventive legal communications, organizers moved forward with the layout of the marketplace, bypassing multiple layers of regulatory oversight.
Professor Dr Mojibol Haider Chowdhury expressed severe dissatisfaction regarding the breakdown of public order on the campus. He clarified that following the initial deployment of police personnel on Sunday morning, the law enforcement detachment withdrew from the immediate vicinity.
Immediately following the departure of the police units, the event organizers deliberately smashed three heavy security locks securing the main entrance gates. The crowd forcefully entered the campus grounds, excavated the turf to plant bamboo support pillars, and established an active market for cattle and goats.
“We had officially notified every tier of the local administration in writing days in advance,” Principal Mojibol Haider Chowdhury stated to reporters. “I am entirely unable to comprehend why the law enforcement apparatus and the executive branch failed to take decisive preventative action to protect state property after we explicitly highlighted the impending illegality.”
Conflicting Stances of District Administration and Politician
The District Commissioner of Kurigram, Annapurna Debnath, has categorically refuted all assertions regarding the legality of the assembly. The head of the district administration clarified that while the organizers had indeed submitted a formal administrative application seeking a temporary lease for the marketplace, the executive office had strictly denied the request based on statutory bans.
Legal Status: District Commissioner Debnath emphasized that the establishment of a livestock market on an educational campus constitutes a punishable criminal offence under national law.
Executive Response: The district command confirmed that absolute zero authorization had been issued, adding that the destruction of institutional locks constitutes a distinct penal violation. An official directive has been issued to the Chhilmari UNO to execute immediate eviction proceedings and investigate the perpetrators.
In direct contrast to the statements issued by the district treasury, the accused Chhatra Dal leader, identified as Jihad Ferdous Chomok, maintained that his actions complied with standard bureaucratic processes. Chomok argued that his team had deposited the mandatory financial security bonds with the District Commissioner’s office to secure a temporary municipal license.
He claimed the market was operated with the implicit awareness of local authorities and cited a historical precedent of utilizing the college grounds for seasonal community markets over several decades. However, when pressed by investigative journalists, Chomok was entirely unable to produce any written permit, official receipt, or signed executive order from the District Commissioner’s office to validate his occupation of the campus.