Qawmi Chhatra Oikya Parishad has warned that it will not allow National Citizen Party (NCP) programmes in Brahmanbaria unless lawmaker Hasnat Abdullah publicly apologises to local residents. The warning was issued at a brief rally outside the Brahmanbaria Press Club late Friday night, following a protest march that began in the city’s Kandipara area and travelled along the main road.

Speakers at the rally strongly criticised Hasnat’s remarks in parliament concerning recent incidents in Brahmanbaria. They raised slogans against him and demanded that he apologise publicly to the people of the district over the statement.

The speakers said that otherwise they would prevent an already scheduled NCP organisational coordination meeting and political workshop from taking place at the District Shilpakala Academy on Saturday afternoon. Earlier on Thursday, Hasnat had sharply criticised the government in parliament for failing to take effective action after cultural programmes were stopped at police lines in Kishoreganj and Brahmanbaria.