Dhaka erupted in concern late Sunday night when a senior leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was shot in the Kalabagan neighborhood. Shafiqur Rahman, 55, the joint general secretary of BNP’s Kalabagan Ward-16, sustained a bullet wound to his left arm in what appears to be a targeted attack by unidentified assailants.
The incident unfolded near a shoe market in the police station area, where Rahman, a local shoe supplier, was conducting business. Eyewitnesses, including shopkeeper Shahparan Mutabbar, rushed the injured politician to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. ‘Suddenly, a shot rang out and hit his left arm,’ Mutabbar recounted to local media.
Police camp in-charge Inspector Mohammad Faruk at the hospital confirmed the arrival of the wounded businessman from Kalabagan, noting that emergency treatment was underway. Authorities have notified the Kalabagan police station to investigate the brazen shooting.
This attack comes mere days after BNP, led by Tarique Rahman, secured a landslide victory in the 13th parliamentary elections and moved to form the government. The timing raises alarms about escalating political violence in the wake of the polls.
Recent reports paint a grim picture of post-election unrest. Last week, violence across five districts left nine injured and one house torched. In Natore’s Lalpur sub-district on February 14, clashes between rival BNP factions injured six, leading to two arrests and the recovery of a firearm.
Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) data reveals a disturbing trend: from the election announcement in October 2025 to February 14, over 700 violent incidents claimed 10 lives and injured around 2,503 people. Among them, 34 were shot, and more than 500 homes, vehicles, businesses, election offices, and polling stations suffered vandalism, looting, or arson.
As Tarique Rahman’s administration takes the reins following 18 months of Muhammad Yunus’s interim rule, experts warn of mounting challenges from unrest and rising Islamic extremism. The shooting of Rahman underscores the fragile security landscape, prompting calls for swift action to restore stability.