On Saturday, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas stated that the attack on Inqilab Manch spokesperson and Dhaka-8 independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi is an assault on the nation's democracy, sovereignty, and freedom.
"The attack on Sharif Osman Hadi is not a personal matter; it is a direct assault on the democratic rights, sovereignty, and freedom of the Bangladeshi people," he stated.
Mirza Abbas made the remarks while addressing a nationwide protest rally organised by the BNP at its central office in Nayapaltan.
Hadi was critically injured when armed assailants opened fire on him in the capital's Paltan neighbourhood on Friday. Mirza Abbas strongly condemned the attack and described it as "unfortunate".
Mirza Abbas compared Hadi to his own son, saying the incident left him deeply shaken. He also stated that BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi immediately informed him of the attack, prompting him to rush to the scene and then the hospital.
"When I arrived at the hospital, I saw Hadi being wheeled to the operating theatre on a stretcher. I waited nearly an hour. There was some unruly behaviour during this time, but I instructed my people to remain calm so that his treatment could continue uninterrupted. "He must be saved," he stated.
Mirza Abbas reflected on his political career, saying, "I have participated in many elections where rival candidates maintained mutual goodwill." There has never been a record in my life of candidates getting into fights. Such incidents are the result of a malevolent force."
He denounced the culture of attacking candidates as anti-democratic and claimed that the attack on Hadi was not an isolated incident, citing a previous attack in Chattogram.
Mirza Abbas described these incidents as part of a larger conspiracy, promising that more information would be revealed in due course.
He urged unity to protect the country and cautioned against exploiting the current chaotic situation.
He also wished Hadi a speedy recovery and expressed his desire to see him actively participate in elections. "Victory and defeat are in Allah's hands, and anyone wishing to compete must do so through the electoral process," he stated.
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