Spike in shootings sparks alarm over poll security

Abu Jakir :

A surge in shootings, political violence and intimidation across the country has raised serious concerns about the law-and-order situation ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election on 12 February. Opposition parties and rights groups warn that the pre-poll environment is deteriorating rapidly, with escalating attacks creating widespread anxiety.

The latest incident occurred on Wednesday night, when Azizur Rahman Musabbir, former general secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North Swechchhasebak Dal, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Tejturi Bazar area behind Bashundhara City Shopping Complex. Another man, Anwar Hossain, was injured in the attack.

Police said the assailants opened fire shortly after 8:00pm near a narrow alley beside Star Kabab before fleeing. Both victims were taken to BRB Hospital, where doctors declared Musabbir dead on arrival. Tejgaon Division Additional Deputy Commissioner Fazlul Karim confirmed the shooting and said a case was being prepared, with efforts underway to identify the attackers.

On Thursday, Musabbir’s wife, Suraiya Begum, demanded justice while receiving her husband’s body at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue. “Before leaving home, he asked me to make him a cup of coffee and said he would go out after offering prayers. That was the last time I spoke to him,” she told reporters, urging authorities to review CCTV footage and arrest the perpetrators without delay.

The killing has triggered sharp political reactions. Leaders of the Swechchhasebak Dal announced a series of protest programmes in Dhaka and elsewhere, warning of intensified demonstrations if the attackers are not apprehended within 24 hours. Speaking before Musabbir’s janaza in front of the BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan, senior party leaders accused the authorities of failing to protect political activists.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described the murder as part of a “planned attempt to create instability”, warning that such violence was eroding public security and heightening fear among citizens.

Musabbir’s killing came hours after a near-fatal shooting in Gazipur earlier on Thursday, when suspected criminals opened fire on National Citizen Party (NCP) activist Habib Chowdhury. Police said the attack took place during what appeared to be a staged meeting over the sale of a motorcycle. According to witnesses, two men posing as buyers met the 25-year-old in the Jogitala area around 12:30pm.

One of them suddenly fired at Habib while the other started the motorcycle. Habib narrowly escaped injury as the attackers fled with the vehicle.

Other recent attacks have further fuelled concern. On Monday, a Jubo Dal leader was shot dead in Raozan, Chattogram. In Cox’s Bazar, a parliamentary aspirant reportedly received a shroud — widely regarded as a death threat. Last month, Sharif Osman Hadi, president of Inqilab Mancha and a prominent July movement activist, died after being shot a day after the election schedule was announced.

Human rights groups say the incidents reflect a broader, deeply troubling pattern. According to the Human Rights Support Society (HRAS), at least 914 incidents of political violence were recorded in 2025, resulting in 133 deaths and more than 7,500 injuries.

The escalating violence has renewed questions about whether a peaceful and credible election can take place. Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud acknowledged that ongoing attacks pose a major threat to the electoral environment. “Violence, whatever the cause, must be stopped. If violence continues, it will disrupt the election atmosphere. Ensuring a peaceful environment is a major challenge,” he said.

Security officials highlight another major concern: the continued circulation of looted firearms. During the unrest of 5 August 2024, large quantities of weapons and ammunition were seized from police stations nationwide. Election Commissioner Abul Fazal Sanaullah recently stated that around 15 percent of these firearms and nearly 30 percent of the stolen ammunition remain unrecovered.

Law enforcement agencies say they have intensified intelligence surveillance and patrols in the run-up to the election. Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has instructed all security forces to work in a more coordinated manner to prevent attempts to destabilise the polls. Following a recent law-and-order meeting at the Secretariat, he reaffirmed the interim government’s commitment to holding the election as scheduled and warned that those seeking to disrupt the process would face firm action.

However, opposition parties and civil society groups remain sceptical. After the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, several citizen organisations publicly demanded the home adviser’s resignation, citing what they said was a pattern of failure to prevent high-profile attacks.

With only weeks left before polling day, each new shooting is intensifying apprehension among candidates, campaigners and voters. Political observers warn that unless perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice and visible improvements in security are made, public confidence in the electoral process could erode even further.