As Bangladesh prepares for the upcoming February 12 elections, tensions have escalated between workers and supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the radical Islamist Party Jamaat-e-Islami. A clash broke out in Dhaka’s Mirpur area on Tuesday, leaving several individuals injured. The confrontation occurred when Jamaat workers were campaigning near the Mubarak Mosque and were obstructed by BNP members.
According to witnesses cited by The Daily Star, the clash began around 4:00 pm on Tuesday as Jamaat workers tried to enter a 10-storey building named “Heaven Tower” in the capital. The BNP workers allegedly prevented them, citing that campaigning was not allowed before January 22. The situation intensified as Jamaat workers sought votes from residents despite warnings against political discussions and campaigning in the area.
Allegations emerged that Jamaat activists were collecting residents’ mobile numbers and National Identity cards during their campaign efforts. This led to a heated exchange between the two groups, with tensions escalating outside the mosque. Local BNP leaders claimed that Jamaat workers accused them of confining their members inside a building, further fueling the confrontation.
BNP workers gathered around the mosque, chanting anti-Jamaat slogans as the clash unfolded. The altercation resulted in injuries to six BNP workers, with three requiring hospital treatment. Prior to this incident, clashes between BNP and Jamaat supporters in Chauddagram upazila of Cumilla district had left five individuals injured, following a series of attacks.
