Just days after the assassination of Inquilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi, another political leader from the Jatiya Sramik Shakti, an affiliate of the National Citizen Party (NCP), was shot in broad daylight in Khulna, Bangladesh. The injured, identified as Motaleb Shikder, is the leader of the labour wing affiliated with the NCP. He was shot on Monday around 12:00 pm and was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where he remains in critical condition. The incident comes at a time when the country is already witnessing widespread unrest following the death of Osman Hadi.
The attack was also confirmed by NCP Joint Chief Organiser Mahmudah Mitu, who posted about the incident on social media, along with a photograph showing injured Shikdar. “The head of NCP’s Khulna division and central organiser of the NCP Sramik Shakti, Motaleb Shikdar, was shot a short while ago,” she said.
According to reports, Shikder was shot in the head by unknown assailants. The attack took place while Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Mohammad Yunus was holding a law and order meeting in the capital, Dhaka. The situation in Bangladesh has grown increasingly tense. Rioters are engaging in violence and arson in several parts of the country.
Liquor bottles, female criminal and conspiracy
According to the Bangladeshi news portal jagonews24, Shikder frequently visited a rented house on Al-Aqsa Mosque Lane in the Khulna Gazi Medical area. The house, rented by a couple, was the location of shooting. Shikder reportedly had a connection with a woman living at the residence, though her identity has not yet been revealed. Following the incident, police searched the house and recovered drug paraphernalia and bottles of foreign liquor. Authorities are currently trying to identify the woman and determine the motive behind the incident.
What had happened?
Khulna Deputy Police Commissioner Mohammad Tazul Islam, said that the incident may be the result of a personal dispute. He noted that the area around the crime scene has a history of criminal activity involving drugs and women. Mufti Faizullah, chief coordinator of the National Citizens Party in Khulna, said he spoke with Shikder, who recounted the events of the morning. Around 10:30 am, Shikder was having tea at a shop near the surgical area. When his companions left, a group of men wearing helmets reportedly forced him into an alley, beat him, shot him, and then fled the scene.
