TBS
The police last night (19 September) accused former Faridpur-4 MP Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, better known as Nixon Chowdhury, of disrupting law and order in Faridpur’s Bhanga, through a series of provocative video messages in which he termed the interim government and Election Commission “illegal.”
In a press release, the Police Headquarters said Nixon’s statements on social media included anti-state remarks, instigating comments against law enforcement and allegations of harassment of the public — actions that police claim were aimed at provoking people to continue agitation.
According to the release, following a gazette on the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies ahead of the 13th general election, Algi and Hamirdi unions of Bhanga Upazila were separated from Faridpur-4 and merged with Faridpur-2. Protesting this decision, locals staged demonstrations, blockades and sit-ins on Dhaka-Khulna, Dhaka-Barishal and Faridpur-Bhanga highways.
Police alleged that Nixon capitalised on the protests and circulated multiple “inciteful” messages that worsened the situation in Bhanga. In one such video, he called the interim government and the Election Commission “illegal” and instructed his followers to continue demonstrations, even blocking roads until their demands were met. His supporters widely shared the clips online, further fuelling unrest.
On 15 September, protesters, allegedly loyal to Nixon, attacked Bhanga Police Station, Bhanga Highway Police Station, the upazila nirbahi officer’s (UNO) office, the election office and the agriculture office. Government vehicles were vandalised and torched, causing extensive damage to public property. Legal action was later taken by Bhanga Police Station.
Police said Nixon again released another video last Saturday, repeating his claims that the government and EC were illegal, while lashing out at police on social media. He also alleged that ordinary people were being harassed through false cases, which police said was an attempt to incite further destructive protests.
Law enforcement urged citizens not to be misled by “provocative statements” and to maintain discipline. They assured everyone that no innocent person would be harassed in legal proceedings and requested people to promptly report any attempts to spread rumours or inflammatory content.
Earlier on 15 September, Bhanga witnessed violent protests over constituency boundary changes, with attacks on police stations, the upazila complex and the municipal office. Motorcycles were set ablaze, while journalists covering the unrest were reportedly obstructed, and several police and media workers were injured.
The EC issued the aforementioned gazette on 4 September, redrawing Faridpur-4 by detaching Bhanga’s Algi and Hamirdi unions and attaching them to Faridpur-2.