The government has ordered a direct swap between the Superintendents of Police (SP) of Gopalganj and Feni districts, transferring Gopalganj SP Md Habibullah to Feni and appointing Feni SP Prottush Kumar Majumder in his place.
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a formal gazette notification detailing the administrative reshuffle on Sunday, 15 November. Signed by Deputy Secretary Tousif Ahmed, the directive states that the transfers were authorised in the public interest and will take immediate effect. Under the order, both senior police officers will assume the exact same rank and responsibilities in their newly assigned districts.
This sudden administrative shake-up coincides with a sharp escalation in political tension and law-and-order disturbances across Gopalganj. Earlier on Sunday, activists and leaders of the Awami League—whose political activities currently remain banned—alongside its affiliated front organisations, staged an aggressive procession through Gopalganj town. Witnesses reported that demonstrators marched carrying sticks and locally made weapons, setting fires on several thoroughfares to block traffic and create disruption.
Panic quickly gripped the commercial centres of the town. Shopkeepers hurriedly pulled down their shutters and closed businesses to avoid potential clashes or property damage. Anticipating trouble, law enforcement personnel had already been deployed at strategic intersections and key points across the district headquarters. According to local police officials, the prompt mobilisation and vigilance of the security forces successfully prevented any casualties or major destruction of public property during Sunday’s demonstrations.
The unrest followed an incident of political violence the previous night in Tungipara upazila, a historically sensitive area within Gopalganj district. On Saturday night, unidentified assailants vandalised and set fire to two local offices belonging to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its youth wing, Jubo Dal.
While the official ministry notice cites routine public interest for the transfers, the timing underscores the pressing security challenges facing the district administration. Incoming SP Prottush Kumar Majumder faces the immediate task of restoring calm and maintaining strict vigilance across Gopalganj, whilst Md Habibullah prepares to take charge of policing operations in the south-eastern district of Feni.
