The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday described the deadly clash between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists in Sherpur as “unacceptable” and demanded an immediate, impartial investigation into the incident.
Speaking at a press briefing at the BNP Election Office in Gulshan, BNP Election Steering Committee Spokesperson Mahdi Amin said several critical questions must be addressed to determine how the violence erupted and whether it could have been prevented.
He questioned why one political group occupied all the seats at the venue ahead of schedule, why sticks and batons were brought to the programme, and why confrontation was chosen despite repeated appeals for restraint.
According to Mahdi, the event had been organised by the local administration with participation from all candidates, and seating arrangements were allocated to each party in advance. He alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami leaders took over all the chairs and blocked BNP leaders and activists from accessing their designated seats, even after repeated requests from officials.
“Violence over an issue as trivial as seating cannot be justified under any circumstances,” Mahdi said, adding that the public expected a celebratory election environment following the mass uprising, not bloodshed.
He said the incident had raised serious concerns about how the situation spiralled out of control and why law enforcement agencies failed to maintain order at the venue.
Referring to videos circulating online, Mahdi claimed they showed police, administrative officials, law enforcement agencies, the army, and BNP leaders repeatedly urging the Jamaat candidate to avoid a specific route. Despite those appeals, the candidate allegedly proceeded and was heard making remarks suggesting a willingness to accept loss of life.
Mahdi expressed deep sorrow over the death of a person in the clash, regardless of political affiliation, and said more than 40 BNP leaders and activists were injured, several of them critically.
He called on the administration and law enforcement agencies to take stronger preventive measures to ensure such incidents do not recur, stressing that peaceful polls are in the interest of the entire nation.
Describing BNP as the country’s largest political party, Mahdi said there was a prevailing belief that a free, fair and credible election would see BNP emerge victorious. However, he said the party’s primary objective remained a peaceful and dispute-free election process.
He also urged all political parties to refrain from provocation and not to fall into confrontations, appealing for mutual respect during campaign activities.
Mahdi said BNP had already requested the interim government to ensure that similar incidents do not take place elsewhere in the country and that democratic conduct is upheld by all parties.
Responding to questions about a recent procession in the Dhaka University area, he dismissed what he termed “politically motivated propaganda” against BNP, saying exploiting isolated incidents for political gain was unacceptable.
“We want constructive politics, not blame-based politics,” he said, adding that BNP remains committed to ensuring a credible election. “If democratic norms are respected, we can collectively strengthen democracy,” he added.
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