Police in the Debidwar Upazila of Cumilla have taken three local Bangladesh Awami League officials into custody, including a former Union Parishad chairman, following an unsanctioned anti-government flash rally.
The coordinated law enforcement operation took place on Sunday morning, with raids carried out across Padmakot, Laxmipur, and the Debidwar New Market area.
Profiles of the Arrested Officials
The police confirmed the identity of the three detained individuals, all of whom hold organizational leadership roles within their respective union units:
Md Abu Taher Sarkar (58): Resident of Burirpar village and son of the late Haji Idris Mia Sarkar. He holds the post of Vice-President of the Subil Union Awami League and previously served as the Subil Union Parishad Chairman.
Md Faridul Islam (36): Resident of Padmakot village and son of the late Shahjahan Mia. He serves as the Vice-President of the Gunaighar South Union Awami League.
Md Shahin Sarkar (45): Resident of Laxmipur village and son of the late Akhtar Hossain. He is the Vice-President of the Fatehabad Union Awami League.
Incident Overview and Video Evidence
The arrests relate to a demonstration conducted on Saturday morning near the gas field in the C&B area of Rasulpur Union, situated along the Cumilla–Sylhet regional highway. At approximately 7:45 am, a group of 35 to 40 activists linked to the Awami League and its banned affiliate wings—including the Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League—assembled for a brief mourning rally.
During the demonstration, participants chanted anti-government slogans before dispersing. Video recordings of the brief gathering subsequently surfaced on social media channels. Debidwar police examined the footage to identify the participants, leading directly to the Sunday morning operations.
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Investigation
Addressing the media, the Officer-in-Charge of Debidwar Police Station, Md Moniruzzaman, confirmed that the three suspects have been formally charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act and transferred to judicial custody. He further stated that security forces are conducting further operations to trace and detain the remaining suspects implicated in the event.
