A burgeoning political campaign in Chattogram was struck by tragedy on Sunday when a teenage supporter of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) died suddenly while documenting a rally for party chairman Tarique Rahman. The victim, 14-year-old Saidul Islam Chishti, reportedly suffered a fatal medical emergency while filming a student-led procession in the city’s Kotwali district.
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A Fatal Moment Amid the Fervour
The incident took place at approximately 11:30 am near the ‘Hall 24’ convention centre, situated close to the local stadium. Saidul Islam Chishti, an eighth-grade pupil at Oxford Modern School and an active member of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), was part of a vibrant group of activists moving from the Hotel Radisson Blu towards the Pologround Maidan.
According to Abu Sultan Sunny, Member Secretary of the Kotwali Thana Chhatra Dal, Chishti was walking ahead of the march, using his smartphone to capture the energy of the crowd. “He had only recorded about 200 yards of the procession when he suddenly turned around and collapsed onto the road,” Sunny recounted. The teenager was immediately transported to the nearby National Hospital, but medical staff were unable to revive him. Preliminary assessments suggests he succumbed to a sudden stroke or cardiac arrest.
Casualties Reported at the Chattogram Rally
| Victim Name | Status | Age / Location | Details |
| Saidul Islam Chishti | Deceased | 14, Enayet Bazar | Collapsed during a JCD procession. |
| Md. Rakib | Injured | North Mohra | Sustained injuries in a crowd crush. |
| Md. Jasim | Injured | Anwara Upazila | Admitted to CMCH following a surge. |
A Family and Party in Mourning
Chishti was the only son of Nazrul Islam Babu, a prominent former footballer and resident of the Enayet Bazar area. His untimely passing has prompted a wave of condolences from local BNP leadership, who praised the teenager’s dedication to the party’s student wing.
The massive scale of the rally, which drew tens of thousands to the Pologround Maidan, led to further incidents. Sub-Inspector Alauddin Talukdar of the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Police Outpost confirmed that two other men—Md. Rakib and Md. Jasim—were rushed to the emergency ward around 1:00 pm. Both victims were caught in a significant crowd surge and are currently undergoing treatment for crush injuries.
Concerns Over Crowd Safety
As the 2026 electoral season intensifies, this tragic sequence of events has raised urgent questions regarding the safety and medical infrastructure at large-scale political gatherings. The combination of high-density crowds and the physical exertion required for long marches continues to pose a risk to younger and more vulnerable participants. For the community in Enayet Bazar, the day ended not with political triumph, but with the heartbreaking loss of a promising young life.