A daylight murder in Old Dhaka highlights Bangladesh's lawlessness

The Hindu

2 days ago

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the Hasina-era main opposition which many see today as a front-runner for the coming elections, is facing a turbulent period amid nationwide protests over allegations that the party was involved in killings and rampant extortion.
Public outrage reached a boiling point following the murder of a local trader, Chand Mia alias Sohag, on July 9 in broad daylight on the premises of Sir Salimullah Medical College Mitford Hospital in Dhaka's Chawkbazar area. The attack was carried out by local leaders and activists of the BNP's student and youth wing.
According to eyewitnesses and CCTV footage that surfaced two days after the incident, the attackers dragged Sohag's bloodied body onto the adjacent road and continued the assault. The video shows several men stomping on his chest, punching his face, and squashing his lifeless body with large concrete blocks. Despite the presence of hospital staff, security guards and hundreds of people, no one intervened. The killing, reportedly linked to a turf dispute over control of the local scrap metal and copper wire trade, has sent shockwaves across the capital and beyond.
A murder case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in the capital by the victim's sister. Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Saturday said that five people were arrested in connection with the incident. 'It's not just the Mitford case — police are taking immediate action in such incidents across the country. However, the Mitford incident is deeply regrettable. In a civilised nation, such brutality is unacceptable', the adviser said.
Five activists from three affiliated wings of BNP have been expelled for life over their alleged involvement in the incident.
Protests, rallies held
In response to the incident, thousands of university and college students, members of various student organisations and political parties, and ordinary citizens took to the streets. Students from universities across the country held protest marches and rallies, expressing frustration over what they described as ongoing extortion and terrorism across Bangladesh.
Protesters accuse BNP activists of filling the power vacuum left by the Awami League-led government, taking control of extortion rackets and asserting violent dominance over local businesses and territories. Chanting slogans such as 'Tarique will go like Sheikh Hasina,' 'Money extorted in Paltan, shares fly to London,' and 'The new killer follows the path of the old killer,' demonstrators placed direct blame on BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, who is based in London.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir expressed deep concern over the killing. He warned that the failure to ensure strict punishment for those involved would only deepen the culture of impunity and push society further into darkness. 'This barbaric act is not just the loss of a life — it reflects a deep failure in ensuring state security, upholding citizens' rights, and maintaining law and order. Our party's principles, ideals, and politics have no connection whatsoever with terrorism or brutality. No matter who the perpetrator is, they must never be above the law and justice,' Mr. Alamgir said.
However, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that certain political parties are attempting to exploit the incident by giving it a political colour for their own gain.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami condemned the killing. In a statement, the party's Secretary General and former MP Mia Golam Parwar said several national dailies reported that leaders of the Chawkbazar unit of Jubo Dal (BNP's youth wing) had demanded a large sum of extortion money from the victim. When he refused, Jubo Dal's terrorists carried out the killing, he alleged.
'The nation is now asking: how safe are people's lives and property in the hands of a party whose leaders shelter extortionists and criminals while preaching about politics?' Mr. Parwar asked. 'If such a party comes to power, the country, the people, and the state can never be safe. This incident once again echoes the footsteps of fallen fascism.'
Upcoming elections
Bangladesh is likely to hold general elections in the first half of 2026 and the BNP is seen as a frontrunner by many. The Islamist Jamaat is also preparing to contest the elections, while the Awami League has been banned by the interim government. The National Citizens Party, formed by the student leaders who led anti-Hasina protests, is a new entrant.
As election fever is gradually gripping the country, the BNP is grappling with multiple issues, including internal infighting, political violence, and alleged extortion by party leaders. More than a thousand leaders and activists have already been expelled for their involvement in such activities. However, these disciplinary actions have largely proved ineffective, as party members continue to engage in similar misconduct. In 2024, following the fall of the Hasina-led government, violence within BNP circles intensified, leading to at least 1,697 injuries and 31 deaths.
According to a report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), at least 79 people were killed and around 4,124 injured in 529 incidents of political violence across Bangladesh in the past six months. The HRSS attributes most of the violence to turf wars, political vendettas, internal disputes over party committee formations, extortion, and attempts to seize control of various establishments. Of the 529 incidents recorded, 445 were linked to internal conflicts within the BNP or clashes involving BNP and other political parties. Specifically, 302 incidents stemmed from the BNP's internal feuds, resulting in 46 deaths and at least 2,834 injuries.
Meanwhile, stability is yet to be fully restored across the country, as mob violence continues to claim lives at an alarming rate. Human rights organisations document that from September 2024 to June 2025, at least 253 incidents of mob violence occurred, resulting in 163 deaths and 312 injuries. Despite repeated assurances from law enforcement agencies, in most cases the perpetrators have remained beyond the reach of justice.
While talking on the countrywide protests against the BNP, Nazmul Islam, a political scientist, told The Hindu that while the unrest may not cause a major crisis for the party, it will undoubtedly have an immediate impact on public perception. 'We must recognise that the BNP remains a key political party in the current political context of Bangladesh. However, this status also brings significant challenges in managing and controlling its grassroots supporters,' said Mr. Islam.
'After a long hiatus, BNP activists have had the opportunity to reengage in open political activity, but this resurgence also presents new challenges for party leadership, particularly in terms of internal discipline. One of the underlying issues is the BNP's limited opportunity in recent years to practise internal democratic governance, which has weakened their control mechanisms,' he added.