A fresh wave of political murders, executed with precision and chilling calm, has raised alarms across the country just weeks before the 13th National Parliament election.
The latest victim, Sharif Osman bin Hadi, convener of Inqilab Manch, succumbed to his injuries six days after he was shot in broad daylight on Box Culvert Road in Bijoynagar. The attack came from gunmen riding a motorcycle who fired at him as he sat in a battery-powered rickshaw.
The manner of the killing, swift and calculated, sent a sharp reminder that political violence has entered a new, more ruthless phase.
Hadi’s death comes on the heels of another high-profile killing. On January 7, Swechchhasebak Dal leader Azizur Rahman Mosabbir was gunned down in Tejturi Bazar. Mosabbir had confided to his wife that he feared for his life and believed he might be killed at any moment. Days later, his premonition came true. These incidents, along with several others in recent months, point to a disturbing rise in what many now describe as “target killings”– murders planned with military-like precision, executed within seconds, and carried out in crowded urban areas without hesitation.
Field-level political workers say the atmosphere has grown tense and unpredictable. With the national polls approaching, the killings are spreading panic far beyond the victims’ parties.
A rising toll
Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) figures show 131 people were killed in political violence over the past year. The breakdown paints a grim picture: 93 victims were affiliated with BNP, 23 with Awami League, six with UPDF, three with Jamaat-e-Islami, and single casualties from Inqilab Mancha, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and an extremist group. Three more people died in 54 election-related violent incidents.
These killings reflect more than sporadic violence; they signal a pattern. In district after district, gunmen – often masked, often on motorcycles – are striking political activists in near-identical fashion.
A long list of victims
On January 3, BNP leader Alamgir Hossain was shot dead in Jessore. He was returning home on a motorcycle when assailants shot him in the head and fled. On January 5, Juba Dal leader Muhammad Jane Alam Sikder was murdered in Raozan, Chattogram, only a few hundred meters from a police investigation centre.
Four days later, an NCP worker in Gazipur narrowly survived an attack in which assailants opened fire and fled with his motorcycle. Similar incidents have hit Rangunia, Chattogram-8, Joypurhat, Khulna and several other districts. The killing of Tariq Saif Mamun in the capital on November 10 stands out for its chilling efficiency; CCTV footage showed two gunmen shooting him repeatedly from close range in an attack that lasted only seconds.
Murder cases on the rise
Police statistics reflect the scale of the violence. In 2024, 3,432 murder cases were filed across the country. In 2025, that number climbed to 3,785 – 353 more in just one year. Month-by-month figures show a steady, worrying rise, with spikes during politically sensitive periods.
Looted weapons fuel the violence
Law enforcement officials admit that the widespread circulation of illegal firearms is making the situation harder to control. Despite media announcements and rewards, most of the weapons looted from police stations during the 2024 mass uprising remain missing.
Between August and November, only 35 looted firearms and 190 rounds of ammunition were recovered. More than 1,340 weapons – including rifles, SMGs, LMGs, pistols, shotguns and tear-gas launchers – are still unaccounted for. Police say these weapons may now be in the hands of underworld groups and political operatives.
In response, “Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2” began on December 13, following the shooting of Hadi. More than 15,000 people have been arrested since then. But officials admit that very few of the “big” criminals have been caught, and the number of weapons recovered remains small.
EC and security agencies on alert
Election Commission officials say they are concerned about the deteriorating situation. On December 13, the EC directed police to tighten security at all field offices and arrange special protection for the CEC, election commissioners and senior EC staff.
The Police Headquarters says 187,603 personnel are being readied for deployment during the election. Patrols have been increased, intelligence surveillance expanded, and raids intensified.
Yet anxiety remains widespread.
Writ seeks election postponement
A writ petition filed last week by a Supreme Court lawyer urges the court to postpone the national election until the missing weapons are recovered. The petition cites reports that more than 5,700 firearms and 6,51,000 rounds of ammunition were looted during last year’s unrest, warning that voters and candidates face extreme danger if polls proceed under these conditions.
What experts say
Criminologist Dr Touhidul Haque of Dhaka University says the on-ground reality does not match the official assurances. “The environment expected for safe elections isn’t being established. The main perpetrators remain at large, even though law enforcement claims large numbers of arrests,” he said.
Discussing the Hadi murder, he noted that the alleged killers may have fled the country. “This raises serious questions about surveillance at border points. If criminals can escape so easily, these incidents will continue.”
A crisis overshadowing the election
What was once sporadic political violence has now taken the form of targeted killings executed with precision and speed. With the election weeks away, the stakes are rising, and so is the fear that the atmosphere could deteriorate further.
For many political activists, the question is no longer only who will win on February 12, but whether they will live to see the results.