Attack on CPB office Muktibhaban in Paltan: midnight press conference protests, briefing announced for Tuesday

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has held an immediate press conference protesting an attack on its office, Muktibhaban, in the capital's Paltan. The attack took place at around 10pm on Monday 26 October.

In reaction to the attack, at an immediate press conference in front of the CPB office in Paltan at around 12:30am on Tuesday 27 October, CPB General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan said: 'Those who are calling us collaborators of the fallen government, fascists, actually want to fish in troubled waters.'

He said: 'In July 2024, leaders and activists gathered at this Muktibhaban and decided to break the curfew and marched on the streets. The Droho Jatra began from this office. We cannot be suppressed through conspiracy. Even if someone raised the Joy Bangla slogan, that is no excuse to attack the office. We raised the Joy Bangla slogan during the Liberation War.'

Abdullah Kafi Ratan also said: 'Those who created mobs and burnt newspaper offices, vandalised party offices, set fire to Udichi and set fire to Chhayanaut are conspirators. They are involved in this attack. Those who carried out this attack are mobsters, they are terrorists.'

He alleged that two of their office-bearer leaders had been detained. The CPB will give details at a press briefing on Tuesday 27 October.

According to the account given at the press conference, former Chhatra Union president Dipak Shil came to the CPB office Muktibhaban after being released from the police station. At that time, leaders and activists of the Chhatra Union and Jubo Union garlanded Dipak Shil and brought out a celebratory procession, which was heading towards the Paltan intersection.

It was told at the press conference that a group of youths attacked them, branding them as the banned-activities Awami League, because the 'Joy Bangla' slogan was raised in that procession, and the attack later spread to the CPB office.