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Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus formed a six-member inquiry commission to probe the recent violence in Gopalganj, which has been attributed to members of the Awami League and its student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, both of which were banned recently. The commission came after violent clashes marred a planned public rally by the National Citizens Party (NCP) on July 16.
In a statement, Dr. Yunus laid stress on the fact that the commission was a rightful reaction to the “deteriorating law and order situation, attacks on the district prison and government offices, and threats to public safety” involving the NCP’s event in the district headquarters. The action marks a major move by the interim administration in responding to what it described as a “premeditated and orchestrated” attack on NCP sympathizers.
The inquiry committee will be headed by former Supreme Court Justice Dr. Md. Abu Tariq, a veteran of the nation’s Liberation War. The commission features top-notch personalities like Additional Secretary Khandaker Md. Mahbubur Rahman, Judge Md. Saiful Islam, Brigadier General Shahidur Rahman Osmany, Additional Inspector General of Police Sardar Nurul Amin, and Dhaka University Peace and Conflict Studies Department’s Dr. Sajjad Siddiqui.
Established by Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956, the panel has the mandate to determine the causes of the violence, the perpetrators or the groups of perpetrators, and to recommend legal and administrative measures. It will also examine the attacks on the Gopalganj district jail and government buildings, the collapse of public order, and recommend deterrent measures to prevent such events in the future.
The action was taken after an initial inquiry implicating operatives of the banned Awami League and its allies in perpetrating what was said to be a targeted attack. As a response to the violence, local authorities imposed Section 144, imposed a curfew, and sent troops under the In-Aid-to-Civil Power regulations. While casualties have been confirmed, no official figure has been issued.
The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs will support the commission logistically and financially, and it has been instructed to report back in three weeks with its findings and actionable suggestions.
Dr. Yunus’s bold move increases official pressure on Sheikh Hasina’s outlawed political network, reflecting a determined approach to political violence and instability.
