Former JCD leader taken into custody after armed march in Pabna’s Ishwardi

A former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leader has been taken into police custody in Pabna’s Ishwardi after a video showing him walking along a main road with a firearm while dressed in a white shroud went viral on social media.

Police also seized the firearm to verify its licence and investigate the incident. They will take legal action based on the findings and seek cancellation of the firearm licence, police said.

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The man, identified as Jubayer Hossain Bappi, 35, of Bokuler More in Ishwardi municipality, marched from his home yesterday afternoon carrying the firearm.

When he approached Ishwardi Police Station, a rival group staged a counter-march. Bappi then entered the police station and handed over the firearm and surrendered to police.

Police subsequently took him into custody and sent him to the Pabna Detective Branch for questioning today, said Pranab Kumar, additional superintendent of police of Ishwardi Circle.

Bappi's political supporters said he was protesting against drugs and crime and had intended to surrender his firearm at the police station.

Pabna district BNP convener Habibur Rahman defended Bappi in a Facebook live session, saying the incident had been misrepresented to defame him. He also referred to Bappi as a former JCD leader. Bappi is known locally as a supporter of Habibur.

However, Advocate Masud Khandakar, secretary of the Pabna district BNP, said no one had the right to publicly display a licensed firearm in such a manner.

“Existing law does not permit such actions, so measures should be taken according to the law. There is no scope to violate the law, even if he is from our party,” he told The Daily Star.

Ishwardi BNP has long been divided between factions led by Habibur and expelled leader Jakaria Pintu, who contested the last parliamentary election against the party's nominated candidate.

Locals, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that Bappi, a supporter of Habibur, staged the armed demonstration to intimidate the rival faction. Tensions remained high in the area following the incident.

Police are investigating how Bappi obtained the firearm licence and why he displayed the weapon in public, said Additional SP Pranab Kumar.

Bappi remained in police custody as of filing this report at 5:50pm.