Bangladesh violence: Two student leaders assassinated in a week | What’s happening?

Dhaka: The Khulna Division head of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and central coordinator of its workers front, Motaleb Shikder, was shot by unidentified assailants in Majid Sarani area.

Witnesses said he was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital in critical condition, bleeding heavily from a head injury. Police have launched an immediate manhunt but have yet to identify the attackers or motive.

This follows the December 12 killing of Osman Hadi, a key figure in Bangladesh's 2024 student-led uprising, who later died in Singapore from injuries sustained during an election campaign attack in Dhaka. Hadi’s death triggered nationwide mourning and violent protests, highlighting political volatility under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Rising unrest and law enforcement response

Authorities confirmed that Shikder was moved to Khulna Medical College’s City Imaging Centre to assess his injuries. Local police emphasized that investigations are ongoing, but details on perpetrators remain unclear. Faisal Karim Masud’s family and associates have been arrested in connection with prior violence, though their current involvement is under investigation.

The repeated attacks on student leaders reflect ongoing instability following last year’s protests that led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. Analysts say the violence risks undermining law and order as Bangladesh approaches its scheduled February 12 general elections.

Strained Bangladesh-India ties

Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions have intensified. Bangladesh’s interim government adviser on foreign affairs, M Touhid Hossain, indicated that Dhaka might “scale back its presence” in New Delhi amid worsening political unrest. Hossain’s comments came after India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed media reports on anti-India protests outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi as “misleading.”

The protests followed the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, which fueled anger against India and local Hindu communities. Hossain rejected claims that threats were made against Bangladesh’s envoy, insisting reports were largely accurate and emphasizing the complexity of the situation.

International attention and outlook

The consecutive attacks on student leaders, coupled with public protests and diplomatic friction, have drawn international attention to Bangladesh’s fragile political climate. Observers warn that failure to address political violence could further destabilize the interim government and strain bilateral ties with India, already tense under the current transitional administration.

( With PTI inputs)