Flags Raised at Razed Party Office

A fresh political controversy has emerged in Kishoreganj after a group of activists raised flags and chanted party slogans at the site of the demolished district office of the Bangladesh Awami League. A video of the incident, widely circulated on social media on Thursday afternoon, has reignited debate over the district’s turbulent political climate.

The footage shows a number of activists, reportedly led by Chhatra League leader Kamrul Islam (Ratan), gathered in front of the former party office on Station Road in Kishoreganj town. The building had been reduced to rubble approximately eighteen months ago amid political unrest. In the video, participants are seen hoisting both the National (national) flag and the party flag while chanting slogans including “Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu”.

A large banner bearing the portrait of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was displayed at the site. The banner read: “Bangabandhu’s Awami League was, is, and will remain.” The lower portion of the banner referenced Russell Ahmed, the middle son of former President Abdul Hamid, signalling the involvement or endorsement of figures linked to prominent political families.

In addition to the principal slogans, activists were heard chanting lines such as “Mujib, in your memory, we fear not death” and “Kishoreganj’s soil, Tuhin Bhai’s stronghold,” indicating local factional alignments within the broader political landscape. Observers estimate that at least a dozen individuals were present during the gathering, though the exact number remains unconfirmed.

The incident is particularly significant given the history of the site. On 4 August 2024, during a period of intense political agitation, and following mass protests on 5 August that culminated in the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina, enraged demonstrators attacked and set fire to the district Awami League office. Six months later, on 6 February 2025, the abandoned structure was again torched and subsequently demolished with a bulldozer. A section of the remaining wall was defaced with the words “Public Toilet”, an act widely interpreted as symbolic humiliation.

A summary of key events is presented below:

Kishoreganj’s Superintendent of Police, SM Farhad Hossain, stated that he had not been formally informed of the matter but confirmed that inquiries were under way. Law enforcement authorities are reportedly reviewing the video to determine whether any legal provisions were breached.

Political analysts suggest that the symbolic reclamation of a demolished party office may represent an attempt to reassert organisational presence in the district. Whether this act signals renewed mobilisation or deepens existing divisions remains to be seen. For now, the episode has once again placed Kishoreganj at the centre of a sensitive and evolving political narrative.