Residents in Harirampur, Manikganj, held a broom march and human chain on Monday against upazila Jubo Dal member secretary Molla Shahin, alleging extortion, land grabbing and other irregularities. Hundreds of people began the march from the upazila premises at about 12:30pm and headed toward Harirampur police station.

Protesters alleged that Shahin’s supporters obstructed their procession and that cocktail explosions and gunfire occurred at the time. No immediate information on casualties was available. After returning to the upazila premises, participants in the human chain demanded an investigation into the allegations and swift legal and punitive action.

In a counterprogramme, Shahin’s supporters, led by Shahin and Gala Union Parishad chairman Shafik Biswas, staged a sit-in and protest in front of the police station. Tension persisted around the rival programmes, while law enforcement personnel remained alert. Harirampur police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Afzal Hossain said police went to the scene, brought the situation under control, and that it remained under police control.