More than 50 Chhatra Dal activists gathered outside the office of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in Chapainawabganj on Monday night after police detained a motorcycle belonging to the organisation’s district general secretary over the absence of valid registration.
The activists took up a position at the main entrance of the SP’s office and remained there for about an hour. The protest followed a dispute earlier in the day between district Chhatra Dal general secretary Akteruzzaman Akter and traffic police officers who had stopped his motorcycle at a checkpoint in the town.
Police and eyewitnesses said the incident began on Monday afternoon in the New Market area of Chapainawabganj. Officers conducting a checkpoint stopped Akter’s motorcycle and asked to inspect its documents.
During the check, police found that the motorcycle did not have valid registration and detained it. A verbal altercation then took place between Akter and the officers on duty.
The matter soon drew the attention of other Chhatra Dal members. Within a short time, more than 50 activists went to the SP’s office and gathered at its main gate. Their presence created tension on the premises as they sought an explanation over the incident.
Additional Superintendent of Police NM Wasim Firoz arrived at the scene after being informed of the gathering. He spoke with the Chhatra Dal leaders and listened to their concerns. After around an hour of discussion, the situation was brought under control and the activists ended their position outside the office.
Akter gave a different account of the exchange at the checkpoint. He said he had been travelling with the motorcycle at around 6pm when police asked him to stop. He complied and showed his documents before speaking with the officers.
According to Akter, several people nearby were making remarks directed at the police. He said he misunderstood the comments and thought they were aimed at him, which contributed to a disagreement with the officers.
Akter also said that, during the exchange, he was holding his mobile phone and the police asked him to hand it over. He later went to the SP’s office to seek the return of the phone and to inform senior officials about what had happened. Other Chhatra Dal members accompanied him.
He said the misunderstanding was resolved after discussions with the police officials.
Additional SP Wasim Firoz said a traffic sub-inspector and a sergeant had stopped Akter’s motorcycle to check its documents. He said the vehicle did not have the necessary papers, which led to a verbal dispute between Akter and the officers.
“The activists took their position here mainly over that dispute,” Firoz said. Police then held discussions with them and resolved the matter, he added.
No case was filed over the incident, according to the Additional SP. He said every dispute does not necessarily result in a criminal case and that some matters can be settled through discussion and negotiation.
The incident ended without further confrontation after the talks between the police and Chhatra Dal representatives. The immediate dispute centred on the motorcycle’s registration and the exchange at the checkpoint, while the subsequent gathering at the SP’s office was brought to an end through dialogue.
