Police in Manda upazila of Naogaon district have arrested two individuals for staging public loudspeaker announcements claiming that ousted former Prime Minister and convicted fugitive Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to return to Bangladesh in December. The arrests were made on Friday afternoon, and local police station officer-in-charge Afzal Hossain confirmed the development, stating that preparations are underway to file formal criminal charges against the detainees.
The detained individuals have been identified as Shahidul Islam Shahid, the union president of the banned Chhatra League for Kashopara union, and Abdul Jalil Sarkar, the union president of the banned Swechchhasebak League for Manda sadar union. According to local residents and law enforcement officials, the unauthorized and provocative announcements were made on Thursday within the Kalikapur union of Manda upazila using a loudspeaker mounted on a battery-run auto-rickshaw.
A 37-second video clip of the incident quickly went viral on various social media platforms, sparking intense local discussion and concern. The footage shows two individuals sitting in the back of a moving auto-rickshaw broadcasting messages that urged residents, regardless of political affiliation, to welcome Sheikh Hasina back to the country this coming December, concluding the broadcast with partisan slogans.
Following the circulation of the video, Naogaon Superintendent of Police Mohammad Tarikul Islam directed local police units to take immediate action. Law enforcement agencies launched a swift crackdown on Thursday night. Initial intelligence suggests that Aslam Hossain, a resident of Kashopara union and a leader of the banned organization, along with several others, orchestrated the publicity stunt near open field roads along the border areas of Rajshahi and Naogaon districts.
Authorities have maintained a strict stance against any form of subversive propaganda, unauthorized political gatherings, or activities by organizations that have been officially banned following the recent political transition in the country. Police reiterated that intelligence-led operations are ongoing to identify and apprehend all other co-conspirators involved in orchestrating and executing this provocative propaganda campaign.
