Published : 29 Jan 2026, 09:16 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 03:05 PM
The BNP has demanded a proper investigation into the death of a Jamaat-e-Islami leader during a clash at an election manifesto reading programme in Sherpur.
Party election management committee spokesman and Advisor to the BNP Chairman Mahdi Amin said: “We have seen several videos on social media where it appears that the Jamaat candidate was repeatedly requested by the police, administration, law enforcement agencies, the Army and even BNP leaders and activists, with folded hands, to avoid a clash and not to travel by that road.
“Wasn’t it possible to avoid the conflict? Why did Jamaat leaders and activists occupy all the chairs ahead of the scheduled time? Why did they gather sticks and other weapons there beforehand? Ignoring the requests from everyone, why did the party’s candidate opt for a path of confrontation? These issues should be investigated properly as soon as possible,” he said.
Mahdi made the remarks at a press briefing at the BNP’s election management office in Gulshan on Thursday.
On Wednesday night, a clash broke out between BNP and Jamaat activists over seating arrangements at an election manifesto reading programme for rival candidates in Sherpur. Jamaat-e-Islami’s Sreebardi Upazila Secretary Rezaul Karim was seriously injured in the clash and later died while undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
The BNP spokesman said a programme to announce the election manifestos with the participation of all candidates were organised by the local administration in Sherpur on Wednesday, with seating allocated for each party.
“Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists had occupied all the seats and were not allowing BNP leaders and activists to sit in their designated places. Despite repeated requests from the administration, they refused to vacate the chairs,” he said.
He said, “The violence and clashes we witnessed in Sherpur over such a trivial issue are never desirable.”
“After the mass uprising, everyone expected an election where the election environment would be festive, not confrontational.”
In response to a question, Mahadi said: “One of our major goals is to ensure the election remains uncontroversial, peaceful, and so no one can create any confrontational situation around the polls.”
Mahadi said the incident in Sherpur was extremely undesirable.
“Obviously, many questions are arising about how the clash started, who instigated it, and why law enforcement agencies and the administration failed to keep the situation under control,” he said.
He urged the interim government to take measures to ensure that such incidents do not recur in other parts of the country.
