Bangladesh Violence: BNP leader Azizur Rahman Musabbir Gunned Down In Dhaka

A senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader, Azizur Rahman Musabbir, was gunned down in Dhaka late Wednesday, in an attack that also left another local leader injured. The incident has once again brought political violence in Bangladesh into sharp focus, just weeks before the country heads to national elections.

Police said Musabbir, who previously served as general secretary of the Dhaka City North unit of the BNP's volunteer wing, was shot at close range in Tejturi Bazar, behind the busy Bashundhara Market.

The attack occurred around 8:40 pm when unidentified assailants opened fire on Musabbir and Abu Sufian Masud, the general secretary of the Karwan Bazar Van Association. Musabbir was rushed to BRB Hospital but succumbed to his injuries, while Masud was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with a bullet wound to his abdomen.

Fazlul Karim, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Tejgaon Division, confirmed the killing. "Two people were shot in an alley beside Star Kabab. Musabbir died of his injuries, while the other victim is under treatment," he told reporters. Witnesses said the attackers arrived on motorcycles, fired multiple rounds, and fled before security forces could respond.

Local media reported that Musabbir had attended a gathering of Shariatpur residents near the Super Star Hotel earlier in the evening. He and Masud were walking back when the gunmen struck. Hospital officials said Masud remains in critical condition.

Musabbir, a native of Shariatpur, had long been active in BNP politics and was known for his confrontations with the ruling Awami League government. Family members and party colleagues noted that he had spent considerable time in jail during the current regime, facing repeated arrests in politically charged cases. In 2020, he contested the Dhaka city corporation elections as a BNP-backed candidate for councillor in Tejgaon's Ward-26.

News of his death sparked immediate protests. Supporters gathered near the Sonargaon intersection, shouting slogans against the government and demanding justice. The BNP has alleged that the attack is part of a wider campaign of intimidation aimed at silencing opposition voices ahead of the February 12 polls.

The killing adds to a growing list of violent incidents in recent weeks, raising concerns over law and order in Bangladesh. Observers say the attack underscores the fragile political climate, where opposition leaders and activists have increasingly come under threat.