NCP's 'July March' reaches Sylhet today, BGB to be deployed in five upazilas

The National Citizen Party's (NCP) "July March" campaign is scheduled to reach Sylhet today (30 July), with Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) deployed in five upazilas following recent clashes in Habiganj and Moulvibazar.

Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun sent a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the BGB headquarters seeking the deployment yesterday (29 July).

The five upazilas are Jaintapur, Golapganj, Gowainghat, Kanaighat and Companiganj.

He said the request was made following a letter from Sylhet Superintendent of Police Chowdhury Md Jaber Sadek to the district administration.

"We have applied to Dhaka seeking BGB deployment for today (30 July) and  31 July" the deputy commissioner said.

According to the party's announced schedule, NCP leaders will begin the day's programme by visiting the family of a July uprising martyr in Golapganj.

They will then hold rallies in Kanaighat in the afternoon and Osmaninagar in the evening.

Sylhet district Member Secretary of the NCP, Engineer Kamrul Arif, said the party's Convener Nahid Islam and other central leaders are expected to participate in the programmes.

All preparations have already been completed,he said.

At a press briefing held at a hotel on Jail Road in Sylhet city on yesterday (29 July) afternoon, NCP Sylhet district Convener Md Junaed Ahmed announced details of the programmes.

He said the party would meet families of the martyrs in Golapganj today at 11am , followed by July marches in Kanaighat at 3pm and Osmaninagar at 7pm.

On 31 July, the marches will be held in Companiganj at 3pm, Gowainghat at 5pm and Jaintapur at 7pm, he said.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary and MP Akhter Hosen, reserved women's seat MP Mahmuda Mitu, Chief Organiser Nasiruddin Patwary, Chief Coordinator for the northern region Sarjis Alam, Chief Organiser for the southern region Hasnat Abdullah MP and spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, among other central leaders, are expected to attend the programmes.

The upazila-level marches are being organised as part of the NCP's month-long nationwide programmes in July.

Local NCP leaders have sought cooperation from the administration during the programmes.

Police yesterday stopped a convoy of NCP leaders travelling from Moulvibazar to Habiganj after Section 144 was imposed in Habiganj municipality.

Earlier, the Habiganj district administration imposed Section 144 across the municipality after the NCP and BNP's associate bodies announced separate rallies at the Town Hall premises.

The restrictions followed 29 July, violence in Habiganj, when the NCP alleged that Sarjis Alam and Nasiruddin Patwary were attacked after a programme.