Bangladesh’s interim government announced plans to fly student leader Sharif Osman Hadi to Singapore for treatment after he was critically wounded in a targeted shooting in Dhaka. The attack occurred shortly after election dates were announced, raising concerns about electoral security. Authorities confirmed that an air ambulance and medical team are ready, with all expenses covered by the state.
Sharif Osman Hadi, a senior figure in the student protest group Inqilab Mancha, was shot in the ear by masked attackers while leaving a mosque. He has been a vocal critic of India and the exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Police immediately launched a manhunt, releasing images of two suspects and offering a five million taka reward for information leading to their capture.
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Interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus described the attack as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the upcoming elections. He emphasized that the incident was symbolic, aiming to showcase the conspirators’ power and sabotage the democratic process. Border security has been heightened to prevent further threats.
The government announced enhanced protection for all candidates, including surveillance of their residences, offices, public movements, and online platforms. Officials stressed that safety measures would extend to election rallies and public events, ensuring voters and political figures are secure during the upcoming polls.
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Bangladesh will elect 300 lawmakers and conduct a referendum on a landmark democratic reform package on the same day. The political climate remains tense, with the ousted Hasina in hiding in India following a death sentence in absentia, and the opposition BNP widely expected to gain seats.
Khaleda Zia, BNP leader and three-time former prime minister, is currently in intensive care in Dhaka. Her son and political heir, Tarique Rahman, is scheduled to return from 17 years of exile in Britain on December 25, further shaping the upcoming electoral contest.