Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Monday announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the recent killing of scrap trader Lal Chand Sohag in Old Dhaka’s Mitford area.
The party has alleged that the incident is being politically weaponised to destabilise the pre-election environment.
Speaking at separate events in the capital, BNP leaders also reaffirmed their demand that the next national election be held in February 2026 without delay.
“Our sole objective now is to ensure that the election takes place in February,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
“This position was also affirmed by Dr Muhammad Yunus during a recent meeting in London with our Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. There will be no deviation from this commitment.”
He made the remarks while addressing a protest rally at the party’s central office in Naya Paltan, organised by BNP’s Dhaka North and South city units.
The rally was held to protest against what the party described as “offensive propaganda” targeting Tarique Rahman, and to demand justice for Sohag’s murder and other recent killings across the country.
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that “certain political groups” were attempting to exploit the Mitford killing for partisan purposes.
“There is a deliberate attempt to divert national politics and create instability using this incident. Such conspiracies are not new – they have always surfaced when the people of Bangladesh have tried to stand up,” he said.
He added that these actions were part of a broader strategy to prevent free and fair elections and to suppress the people’s right to vote.
“They believe that by maligning Tarique Rahman and resorting to slander, BNP will retreat. But BNP has always stood resilient – like a phoenix, we rise again and again,” he said.
Later, at a press briefing held at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office, Fakhrul announced the formation of a party-led investigation team to examine the circumstances of Sohag’s murder.
“There is reason to believe that this killing is being politicised to disrupt the electoral atmosphere,” he said. “We are setting up a fact-finding committee with credible individuals to uncover the truth.”
Fakhrul condemned the murder and demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible. He noted that although there is no direct evidence linking the accused BNP members to the crime, the party has expelled them for life to demonstrate its zero-tolerance stance.
The BNP leader also raised concerns over the police investigation, claiming that Sohag’s family had reported discrepancies and alleged that the actual culprits’ names were replaced. “The real killers are still unidentified, and law enforcement has failed to take effective action,” he said.
He further alleged that a coordinated disinformation campaign began shortly after Friday prayers, with pre-prepared materials circulated online to incite public outrage and undermine the party.
Despite the political tensions surrounding the case, Mirza Fakhrul reiterated BNP’s commitment to justice and due process. “A criminal is a criminal, regardless of political affiliation,” he said. “We stand with Sohag’s family and call for a fair investigation.”
He criticised the government’s silence on the matter and warned that continued undemocratic practices could push the country further into political instability. “Other political parties must act responsibly. The country’s democratic future is at stake,” he warned.
Calling on the nation’s youth to resist attempts to derail democracy, Fakhrul urged unity and vigilance. “Bangladesh must not be held hostage by conspirators. We will continue our struggle to return power to the people,” he declared.
Senior BNP leaders, including Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, and others, were present at Monday’s events.
