The National Citizen Party (NCP) has issued a show-cause notice to its senior joint chief coordinator, Abdul Hannan Masud, over his role in securing the release of three individuals from Dhaka’s Dhanmondi police station after their detention for allegedly causing unrest in a residential area.

In a statement signed by NCP Joint Member Secretary (Office) Saleh Uddin Sifat, the party said on Wednesday that one of the released individuals, Saiful Islam Rabbi, former Mohammadpur unit convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, had previously been removed from his position for "ethical misconduct." 

The party asked Masud to explain within three days why organizational action should not be taken against him.

The incident in question occurred on Monday night, when a group of youths staged a demonstration outside a house in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area, demanding the arrest of Golam Mostafa, chairman of Haqqani Publishers, accusing him of being an ally of the “fascist Awami League.”

During the protest, some of the demonstrators reportedly engaged in a heated exchange with the officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhanmondi police station. 

Footage of the incident later circulated widely on social media.

Acting on instructions from senior police officials, Dhanmondi police took the three aforementioned individuals into custody. 

In a press release, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) later said the individuals had been released on the condition that they would not engage in similar unlawful activities in the future. 

The DMP also warned that any future attempts to take the law into one’s own hands or create public disorder would not be tolerated.

Meanwhile, Masud addressed the issue in a Facebook post, stating that the three individuals, including the former Mohammadpur unit leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, had been detained while allegedly trying to incite a mob. 

He said students identifying with the group had started creating trouble at the police station.

Masud claimed he had gone there at the request of the DMP commissioner and helped mediate the situation, as police had not registered any complaints and neither had they intended to do so.

"We are cooperating fully with the authorities. Inshallah, the real instigators behind this mob activity will be arrested soon. The DMP has been informed about them," Masud added.