Groups of men tried to attack the National Citizen Party leaders shortly after the party's rally at Gopalganj's Municipality Park ended in the afternoon.
The attackers also set fire to the stage and chairs and tried to block the vehicles of the NCP leaders from leaving the area.
Law enforcers used firearms to clear the road and took the NCP leaders to the deputy commissioner's office, reports our correspondent present at the scene.
Four platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed in the area, said BGB spokesperson Shariful Islam.
The administration imposed Section 144 to calm the situation, said Muhammad Kamruzzaman, deputy commissioner of Gopalganj.
Nasiruddin Patwari, NCP's chief coordinator, told journalists, "Our program was peaceful. Suddenly, 200–300 people armed with sticks tried to attack us. They were all supporters of the Awami League. We repeatedly told law enforcement that the situation was not good, but they remained inactive. Eventually, we were forced to leave the rally site ourselves."
The government in a statement released on the chief adviser's verified Facebook page said the violence was utterly indefensible.
"Preventing young citizens from peacefully holding a rally to commemorate the one-year anniversary of their revolutionary movement is a shameful violation of their fundamental rights. Members of the National Citizen Party, police and media were subjected to brutal attacks, with their cars vandalised and individuals violently assaulted," reads the statement.
The heinous act, allegedly carried out by members of the banned Awami League's Chhatra League and AL activists, will not go unpunished, it adds.
NCP leaders said the attackers were activists of the Awami League.
After the rally, when they were leaving the venue in their cars around 3:00pm, hundreds of people attacked the vehicles, some of which were carrying media personnel. Several vehicles were vandalised.
Police took action against the attackers, and a chase and counter-chase ensued between the two groups, said a Dhaka Stream reporter from the spot.
The NCP event was part of the party's planned appearances in all 64 districts of the country this month.
Gopalganj, the birthplace of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is an Awami League stronghold.
The former ruling party AL and its president and then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Mujib's daughter, was toppled by a student-led mass uprising on August 5 last year, and many of the NCP leadership led that uprising.
Television footage showed dozens of people, some wearing helmets, throwing chairs from the rally stage. They also attempted to dismantle the stage.
Live footage showed police clearing them from the area shortly before the NCP leaders and supporters arrived.
People, amid a drizzle, gathered on both sides of the road and cheered as the NCP car parade entered the town.
UNO's vehicle vandalised in Gopalganj
Earlier, activists of the Awami League vandalised a vehicle of the upazila nirbahi officer in the Gandhiashur area of Gopalganj around 11:30am, officials said.
The incident happened ahead of the National Citizen Party's programmes in the town.
Gopalganj Sadar UNO Rakibul Hasan told reporters that the attackers, who are activists of the AL and its banned student wing Chhatra League, intended to disrupt the NCP event.
A police vehicle was vandalised and set on fire around 9:30am in the town.
Sajedur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Gopalganj Sadar Police Station, said the police pickup was set on fire in the Ulupar area.
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