Dhaka’s streets are turning into battlegrounds as Bangladesh hurtles toward its February 12 general elections. In a shocking escalation of pre-poll violence, a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was gunned down by unidentified assailants late Thursday night in the Keraniganj area.
Mohammad Hasan Molla, 45, who serves as the BNP general secretary for Hazratpur Union in Keraniganj, was returning home when two motorcycle-borne attackers opened fire on him. The bullet struck him in the right side of his abdomen, leaving him in critical condition. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s emergency department around 11 PM, where doctors are battling to stabilize him.
Police at the hospital outpost confirmed the attack. Inspector Mohammad Faruk stated that Hasan Molla arrived with a gunshot wound and is undergoing treatment. A report has been forwarded to the local police station for investigation.
Hasan’s brother, Rakeeb Molla, recounted the harrowing incident. ‘Two men on a bike shot at him while he was heading home. We got him to the hospital just in time,’ he told reporters. The attack has sent shockwaves through the opposition ranks, highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation.
This is not an isolated event. Just last week, Anwar Ullah, a 65-year-old leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was brutally murdered at his home. Earlier on January 8, Yanul Hossain, a 31-year-old BNP youth wing member, was killed in Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat district, with his 22-year-old brother Abdul Momin also injured in the assault.
As allegations of minority targeting and political thuggery mount, the BNP has boycotted the polls, calling them a sham. With violence spiraling, Bangladesh’s democracy hangs by a thread, raising global concerns over the fairness of the upcoming vote.