Dhaka, November 6, 2025 — Tensions have escalated in Bangladesh as election campaigning turned violent, leaving one person dead and two others injured, including a candidate from Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh National Party (BNP).
According to police, the attack occurred in Chattogram on Wednesday evening, when gunmen on motorbikes opened fire on a BNP rally attended by hundreds of supporters.
Gunmen Target Political Rally
Police said the attackers “shot their target and fled immediately,” adding that BNP candidate Ershad Ullah was among the wounded. The deceased has not yet been identified.
Senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury condemned the attack, calling it “an attempt to destabilize politics and disrupt the election.”
Campaigning Turns Chaotic
The violence erupted just a day after major parties launched their campaigns for the February 2026 general elections, the first national vote since the student-led uprising in 2024 that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
The BNP, led by 80-year-old Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, has emerged as a frontrunner. Party officials claim the attack aims to intimidate candidates ahead of the polls.
Government Calls for Calm
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate now serving as chief adviser, has ordered an investigation into the shooting. His administration urged all political parties to “uphold calm and ensure peaceful elections.”
“The upcoming general election must take place in an atmosphere of peace, dignity, and fairness,” the government statement read.
Bangladesh’s military, led by Lieutenant General Md Mainur Rahman, has vowed to provide full security during the election period and return to barracks afterward.
Nation on Edge
The South Asian country of nearly 170 million people remains deeply divided following last year’s unrest. Authorities have announced cash rewards for the surrender of more than 1,300 stolen weapons — including machine guns and pistols — looted during the uprising.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, said it has finalized its candidate list and is in talks with other parties on seat-sharing arrangements.
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