Bangladesh student leader shot in head in brutal daylight attack as pre-election violence escalates

Bangladesh’s political volatility deepened on Monday after a prominent student leader was shot in the head by unidentified assailants in the southern city of Khulna.

Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, a central organiser of the National Citizen Party’s labour wing, was attacked at around 11.45am in Sonadanga, according to Bangladeshi media.

He was taken to the Khulna Medical College Hospital and later transferred to a private diagnostic centre for a CT scan.

Saif Nawaz, an organiser of the student-led party’s Khulna metropolitan unit, said Mr Sikdar was a central organiser and divisional convener of the Jatiya Sramik Shakti, the party’s labour platform. He was involved in preparations for an upcoming labour rally when he was shot.

The Sonadanga police said an investigation was underway.

Doctors told local media the bullet went through one side of Mr Sikdar’s ear and exited through the other, leaving him out of immediate danger. He was still under observation, however.

The attack followed a wave of unrest sparked by last week’s killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, a radical leader and spokesperson of the platform Inqilab Manch.

Hadi, who had risen to prominence during the 2024 uprising that overthrew Sheikh Hasina’s government, was shot by masked gunmen in Dhaka on 12 December while campaigning for the upcoming election. After initial treatment in the capital, he was airlifted to Singapore, where he died on 18 December.

News of his death triggered violent demonstrations across Bangladesh, with crowds torching and vandalising buildings, including the offices of top newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star.

Protesters also targeted properties linked to Ms Hasina’s Awami League party and attempted to march towards the Indian diplomatic missions in Dhaka, Rajshahi and Chattogram. Police used tear gas to disperse crowds at several places.

Authorities confirmed at least one sectarian killing during the unrest, after a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was beaten to death by a mob in Mymensingh over alleged blasphemy.

Bangladesh’s interim ruler, Muhammad Yunus, announced a day of national mourning after Hadi’s death. His funeral was held at Dhaka University.

Tensions are running high as the South Asian country prepares for a parliamentary election in February.

The National Citizen Party, which emerged out of last year’s mass agitation, includes factions that repeatedly issue anti-India statements.

After Hadi was shot, a party leader publicly threatened to support forces hostile to Delhi.

“Seven Sisters will be separated from India,” Hasnat Abdullah said at a protest rally, referring to the neighbouring country’s seven northeastern states.

India denied that it was sheltering people responsible for Hadi’s assassination.

“We expect that the interim government of Bangladesh will take all necessary measures for ensuring internal law and order,” the Indian foreign ministry said, “including for the purpose of holding peaceful elections.”

Bangladeshi police said they had no confirmed information about the whereabouts of Hadi’s attackers and no evidence they had left the country.