Protests erupt over BNP’s Meherpur-2 constituency nomination

Angry demonstrations broke out in Meherpur district on Monday night as supporters of local BNP leader Javed Masud Milton protested the party’s nomination for the Meherpur-2 (Gangni) constituency, torching tyres and blocking roads in defiance. 

The unrest began around 8:00 PM, when leaders and activists loyal to Milton, current president of the Meherpur district BNP unit, marched in processions through several areas before setting tyres ablaze at the Gangni bus stand intersection, causing temporary traffic disruption. 

The protest followed the BNP’s official announcement that Amzad Hossain, a former Member of Parliament, would be its candidate for Meherpur-2 in the upcoming 15th general election. The decision was made public earlier in the day by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir during a press conference in Dhaka. 

Milton’s supporters argue that their leader has remained steadfast through years of political struggle, enduring legal cases, harassment, and repression, while Amzad Hossain had been largely absent from active party work. 

“He stayed with us through thick and thin,” said one protester. “We sacrificed everything for the party, but now someone who disappeared during tough times is being rewarded with a ticket.” 

Demonstrators demanded the immediate cancellation of Amzad Hossain’s nomination and vowed to intensify their actions if their demands are not met. “This injustice won’t go unanswered. We’ll continue our protests until the nomination is withdrawn,” they declared. 

Local law enforcement personnel were deployed to monitor the situation, though no arrests were reported during the night. 

The incident highlights growing tensions within BNP’s grassroots over candidate selection--a recurring challenge as the party prepares for the February 2026 elections amid internal factionalism and alliance coordination. 

HKJ