National Citizen Party leaders and activists travelling to Habiganj for a Wednesday protest said their convoy faced repeated obstruction in Moulvibazar’s Sreemangal. The protest was called over allegations of an attack on Tuesday’s July march. Led by convener Nahid Islam, the group encountered an empty truck placed across the Dhaka-Sylhet regional highway near the Bahubal-Rashidpur gas field, after passing the Tea-Kanya intersection. NCP leaders removed the truck and continued forward.

NCP said its convoy was stopped shortly before 4 p.m. in Sreemangal. Chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary said the group had been blocked at three locations by 5 p.m. He alleged that police were used first, followed by trucks placed on the road with punctured tyres, and finally a tractor positioned on the roadway.

Sreemangal police investigation inspector Abdur Razzak said the convoy had been stopped out of concern for its safety, but did not listen to police and passed through Sreemangal. Because Section 144 was imposed in Sreemangal around the programme, NCP had called an emergency press conference at Habiganj Circuit House at 4:30 p.m. Party leaders and activists had not reached the venue by the latest report.