Jamaat Leader Attacked in Faridpur

A senior local organiser of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was seriously injured in a violent attack in Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns about election-related violence and the safety of political workers during the campaign period.

The victim, Nur Alam Munshi, 40, serves as the president of the Azimnagar Union election management committee for Jamaat-e-Islami. He has been playing a key role in coordinating campaign activities for Maulana Sarwar Hossain, the party’s nominated candidate for the Faridpur-4 constituency, contesting under the party’s traditional “Scales” symbol.

According to party sources and eyewitness accounts, the attack took place at around 11:00 a.m. on 3 February at the Tarail bus stand, located on the service lane of the Dhaka–Bhanga Highway Express. Nur Alam was travelling by motorcycle to the Maligram party office to collect election handbills when he received a mobile phone call. He reportedly pulled over to the side of the road to answer the call. At that moment, several assailants wearing helmets arrived on multiple motorcycles, surrounded him, and launched a sudden assault using sharp weapons.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Nur Alam said the attackers struck him repeatedly on the head and other parts of his body and issued a direct warning, telling him to stop working for the Jamaat candidate. He added that, because the assailants were wearing helmets, he was unable to identify any of them. After carrying out the attack, the attackers fled the scene swiftly, leaving him seriously injured on the roadside.

Nur Alam Munshi is a resident of Brahmanpara village in Azimnagar Union. He is also the son of Ilias Munshi, a rukun (full member) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in Bhanga upazila, and has long been involved in organisational activities at the grassroots level. Party officials described him as an active and dedicated organiser whose injury has caused shock and anger among local supporters.

Condemning the incident, Dr Enayet Hossain, the Jamaat-e-Islami Bhanga municipal amir, said the attack was a deliberate attempt to intimidate party workers and disrupt the election campaign. He stated that Nur Alam was attacked while carrying out legitimate election duties and stressed that such acts threaten the prospect of a free, fair, and peaceful electoral process. He also confirmed that the party intended to pursue legal action and demanded that the perpetrators be swiftly identified and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, Bhanga Police Station officer-in-charge Abdul Alim said he had been informed of the incident but confirmed that no formal complaint had yet been lodged. He assured that once a complaint is filed, the police will investigate the matter thoroughly and take appropriate legal action.

Local residents and political observers fear that incidents like this could heighten tension in the area and discourage ordinary citizens from engaging openly in political activities. Many have called on law enforcement agencies to increase patrols and ensure the security of candidates and campaign workers in the run-up to the election.

Incident at a Glance

The incident has once again highlighted the challenges facing political stability and public safety during election periods in the country.