The procession took place on Tuesday night, 10 November, in the Shakpura area of the upazila. A video of the event subsequently circulated on social media, drawing attention to the political activities taking place in the area.
The 1-minute-and-13-second video was uploaded to Facebook by a page named ‘Mohammad Iftu’. It shows several young men marching through the area carrying burning torches. During the procession, participants were heard chanting: ‘Sheikh Hasina will return, Bangladesh will smile.’
In the accompanying Facebook post, the procession was described as the first blockade and torchlight rally organised by Jubo League and Chhatra League activists in Boalkhali since 5 August. However, the claim was made in the social media post and has not been independently verified.
The incident took place against the backdrop of a declared blockade programme, prompting heightened security measures across the upazila. Police increased patrols throughout the day at several important locations to prevent possible sabotage, arson and damage to public and private property.
Authorities remained particularly alert to the possibility of disruptions to traffic and public movement. Such precautions are routinely taken during politically sensitive programmes, when the risk of confrontations, vandalism and attacks on vehicles can create difficulties for residents and commuters.
Meanwhile, another procession was organised in the evening in opposition to the blockade programme. Under the banner of ‘Boalkhali’s Revolutionary Patriotic Students and Public’, participants staged a motorcycle rally protesting what they described as disorder and acts of arson carried out in the name of political blockades.
The two separate programmes reflected contrasting political positions in the area. While one group of activists staged a torchlight procession in support of Sheikh Hasina, another group took to the streets to oppose the blockade and express its objections to alleged violence.
Speaking about the incident and the overall law and order situation, Boalkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Mozzafar Hossain said police were maintaining the highest level of vigilance.
He confirmed that the video circulating on social media had come to the attention of the police. The authorities were examining the footage and looking into the circumstances surrounding the procession, he added.
The OC also said the overall law and order situation in Boalkhali remained completely normal.
Police have maintained heightened surveillance across key locations to prevent any untoward incidents as political activities continue to draw attention in the upazila. The investigation into the torchlight procession video is ongoing, although no details of any arrests or detentions were provided in the statement.
