Amid rising political unrest in Bangladesh, Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, a senior figure in the National Citizen Party’s (NCP) labour wing, was shot in the head in Khulna on Monday. Local media reports indicate the attack occurred around 11:45 am (local time) at a house in the Sonadanga area of the city. Sikdar, who serves as the Khulna divisional convener and central organiser of the NCP’s labour wing, Jatiya Sramik Shakti, sustained a bullet injury to the left side of his head and is receiving treatment at a local hospital.

Saif Nawaz, an organiser of the NCP’s Khulna metropolitan unit, confirmed Sikdar’s prominent role in the party and highlighted his ongoing efforts to mobilise the labour wing. Sikdar had been actively planning a divisional labour rally in Khulna scheduled in the coming days, making him a visible target amid the current climate of political violence.

Link To Previous Assassination

The attack follows the recent assassination of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, the 32-year-old founder of Inqilab Moncho, who played a key role in protests against the ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hadi, known for his radical activism and anti-India rhetoric, had been campaigning to contest the February 12 parliamentary elections.

He was shot by masked assailants on December 12 in Dhaka while leaving a mosque and was airlifted to Singapore for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 18. Hadi’s killing sent shockwaves across Bangladesh, intensifying fears over targeted attacks against political and student leaders.

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Hospitalisation And Investigation

Dr Mahmuda Mitu, joint member secretary of the NCP, confirmed Sikdar’s condition on social media, stating that he had been critically injured and rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital. Police inspector Animesh Mondal of the Sonadanga police station confirmed that Sikdar was shot by unidentified assailants inside a house behind Gazi Medical College Hospital.

Following the shooting, local residents helped transport him to the hospital, after which he was shifted to a private diagnostic centre for a CT scan of his head. Bangladesh has witnessed heightened political tensions in recent weeks, with violent protests and targeted attacks reflecting growing instability. 

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