Does Pre-Election Violence Loom Large in Bangladesh?

Bangladesh’s journey towards democracy remains a long-cherished aspiration, yet the path to stability appears increasingly uncertain amid a fresh wave of political violence ahead of the upcoming national election, scheduled for February 2026.The latest incident occurred in Chattogram on Wednesday, when armed miscreants opened fire during a campaign event for Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) candidate Ershad Ullah, leaving one man dead and two others injured.The attack took place around 6pm at East Bayezid Hamzarbagh (Chalitati) in the port city. The deceased was identified as 48-year-old Sarwar Babla, though police said his full identity was yet to be confirmed.Officer-in-Charge of Bayezid Police Station Arifur Rahman said gunmen suddenly appeared during Ershad Ullah’s campaign and opened fire, killing Sarwar on the spot and injuring Ullah and another man, identified as Shanto, a local leader of Jubo Dal.The incident has sparked outrage and renewed fears of escalating political unrest as parties gear up ...

• 05 Nov 2025