An Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) was attacked while attempting to bring order to fuel distribution at a filling station in Debiganj Upazila of Panchagarh on Saturday noon.
The incident occurred at around 12:30pm at M/S Jannatul Mawa Filling Station in Bhaulangunj Union of the upazila, where a large number of motorcyclists had gathered to collect fuel.
Witnesses said a long queue had formed at the station, but many riders lacked the required documents such as fuel cards, vehicle registration papers and driving licences, as per government directives. This created frustration among those with proper documentation and led to a chaotic situation. The filling station authorities later sought assistance from the local administration.
Responding to the situation, UNO Sabuj Kumar Basak arrived at the scene and instructed those without valid documents to leave the queue. He also fined two motorcyclists Tk500 each for non-compliance.
Soon after, a group of more than a hundred people reportedly launched a sudden attack on the UNO and his team. During the assault, an Ansar member assigned to his security was injured, and there was an attempt to snatch his official firearm.
As tensions escalated, the UNO took shelter in a nearby house with the help of local residents.
Police from Debiganj Police Station later arrived at the scene, brought the situation under control, and rescued the UNO. The injured Ansar member was taken to Debiganj Upazila Health Complex for treatment.
Speaking about the incident, UNO Sabuj Kumar Basak said he had gone to the location after receiving reports of deteriorating law and order.
He added that the attack took place after he asked undocumented riders to leave the line and imposed fines.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Debiganj Police Station Selim Malek said the situation is now under control and fuel sales at the station have been suspended until further notice.
Legal action will be taken against those responsible for the attack, the OC added.
