Police officers in Gazipur have detained five family members of an arrested political figure after they staged a public demonstration and shouted political slogans inside the compound of Tongi East Police Station. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon, 30 August, as law enforcement personnel were preparing to escort the detainee to court, triggering a severe security breach within the police facility.
The unrest followed the arrest of Abdul Matin, 47, president of the Ward 47 unit of the Krishak League in Tongi, an associate organisation of the Awami League. Police officers had taken Matin into custody during a targeted raid carried out on Saturday night. As officers led him across the station courtyard towards a waiting prison van for his scheduled court appearance on Sunday afternoon, a group of relatives and supporters assembled on the grounds suddenly began chanting political slogans, including “Joy Bangla”, “Joy Bangabandhu”, and “Joy Jononetri Sheikh Hasina”.
Security staff deployed at the facility intervened rapidly to end the unauthorized political activity within the secure government compound, moving into the crowd to isolate and arrest five individuals on the spot.
Those taken into custody have been identified as Md Mahdi Hasan, 26, son of Atiqur Rahman; Harunur Rashid, 34, son of the late Abdur Rauf; Johura Begum, 55, daughter of Mojibur Rahman; Sharmin Sultana, 37, daughter of Md Kawsar Ali; and Shahida Akter, 36, daughter of the late Shahid Mia. All five suspects reside in the Morkun area of Tongi, Gazipur, and are close relatives of the detained Krishak League leader.
Sub-Inspector (SI) Habibur Rahman of Tongi East Police Station subsequently lodged a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act as the lead complainant. The charge sheet records the formal arrest of the five named individuals, while explicitly citing two additional identified suspects alongside 10 to 12 unidentified persons accused of participating in the courtyard disruption.
Confirming the arrests, Maksudul Alam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tongi East Police Station, emphasized that political demonstrations inside a law enforcement complex are strictly prohibited. He stated that shouting partisan slogans within the station premises severely compromised operational security and hindered administrative duties, adding that law enforcement will strictly enforce relevant legal frameworks against all individuals involved.
