A surge in political violence has seen 15 people murdered in Chattogram (Chittagong) over the last 13 months, with 10 of these killings attributed to internal feuds within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), according to a report by Prothom Alo. The escalating violence, which also involves clashes between various criminal gangs, has created an atmosphere of fear in the run-up to the national parliamentary elections.
The situation has drawn national attention following the shooting of a BNP candidate and five others, including one fatality, during an election campaign event this past Wednesday evening.
🔪 BNP Factionalism Fuels Violence
The deadliest flashpoint of the internal BNP conflict is the Raozan Upazila, where seven of the 10 internal party killings took place in the last 13 months. These killings involve supporters of two senior party leaders: the former convener of the Chattogram North District BNP, Golam Akbar Khandaker, and the party’s central Vice Chairman (whose post is now suspended), Gias Uddin Quader Chowdhury. Both leaders traded accusations, each blaming the other’s followers for the violence after a late-night shootout between their two factions in Raozan on Wednesday injured five.
Key Incidents of Internal Conflict:
- Raozan (7 deaths): Victims including Alamgir Alam, Abdul Hakim, Komor Uddin, Md. Ibrahim, Manik Abdullah, Muhammad Selim, and Didarul Alam, who belonged to rival factions.
- Mirsharai: A party worker named Md. Jabed was killed in a March clash between two BNP groups.
- Baklia, Chattogram City: A Chhatra Dal (BNP student wing) activist, Md. Sajjad, was killed in an October 25 shootout over establishing dominance between rival groups.
🗣️ Militants Seeking to “Hinder” Elections: Mirza Fakhrul
Following the attack on the BNP candidate, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir issued a statement on Thursday, suggesting the incidents were orchestrated to “embarrass the current interim government and hinder the upcoming national parliamentary elections.”
He further stated that “miscreants are again attempting to create an unstable situation and benefit from anarchy” after the fall of what he termed the “Awami autocratic ruling class.”
🔫 Candidate Shooting and Gang Conflict
The primary shooting incident occurred on Wednesday evening in the Chalitatali area, where Chattogram-8 candidate and City BNP Convenor Ershad Ullah and five others were shot, killing one man identified as Sarwar Hossain.
Police investigation suggests the attack may not be primarily political, but rather an outcome of a rift between two criminal gangs. The deceased, Sarwar, was once a close associate of top fugitive criminal Sajjad Ali before the two had a falling out. While BNP leaders now distance themselves from Sarwar, he was reportedly active in their rallies, with photos and videos on social media showing him alongside senior party figures.
🚨 Alarm Over Re-offending Ex-Inmates
Compounding the problem is the mass release of known criminals. Police and jail sources reveal that at least 35 notorious ‘terrorists’—each facing five to twenty cases—were released on bail after August 5 of last year and have since re-engaged in criminal activities. Many of these individuals have been seen participating in various political rallies.
Akhtar Kabir Chowdhury, the Secretary of Shushasoner Jonno Nagorik (Sujan – Citizens for Good Governance) Chattogram, expressed concern, stating, “Due to the failure of law enforcement, criminals are openly shooting people without hesitation. It will be difficult to control crime if the armed perpetrators are not arrested.”
The lack of recovery of a significant number of weapons looted from eight police stations and outposts in August last year is also cited as a major risk to public safety. Since August 5 last year, 35 people have been murdered in the city and district, with 22 killed by gunfire.
Source: Prothom Alo
