Detectives from the Gaibandha District Detective Branch (DB) of police have arrested Ranjit Bakshi Surya, a vice-president of the district Awami League, in connection with an arson and violence case stemming from mid-2024.
The 68-year-old politician was taken into custody at around 8:00 pm on Monday, 31 August, during an operation in the VH Road area of Gaibandha town. Abdul Muttalib, Officer-in-Charge of the District DB Police, confirmed the arrest, noting that officers detained the suspect before handing him over to Gaibandha Sadar Police Station for primary legal procedures.
Surya, a resident of Masterpara in Gaibandha municipality and son of the late Rabindra Bakshi, was named as a prime suspect in a First Information Report (FIR) filed over political clashes in the district town.
According to police accounts and case documents, the charges relate to an incident on 17 July 2024 at approximately 4:00 pm. A group armed with wooden sticks, iron rods, and sharp weapons allegedly stormed the District Juba Dal office, located on the southern side of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) headquarters along Circular Road in Gaibandha.
The prosecution alleges that the attackers detonated several crude bombs during the assault, causing widespread panic in the surrounding area. Members of the crowd then poured petrol from Jerrycans onto the premise and set the opposition party’s office on fire, destroying property and equipment inside.
Following the attack, Rafiqul Islam, convener of the Badiakhali Union Juba Dal, filed a criminal case with Gaibandha Sadar Police Station. The lawsuit specifically names 98 political leaders and activists from the Awami League and its associate bodies, including Shah Sarwar Kabir, the former Member of Parliament for the Gaibandha-5 constituency. An additional 150 to 160 unidentified individuals were also listed as accused parties.
Nazmul Huda, Officer-in-Charge of Gaibandha Sadar Police Station, confirmed that Surya was formally arrested as an FIR-named suspect. Law enforcement officials emphasized that the action is part of ongoing legal proceedings and that all charges will be determined through judicial processes in court. The high number of named individuals in the case continues to draw significant local attention as investigations proceed.
