Dhaka, March 21: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) continues to witness factional clashes leading to the death of several of its party leaders and workers, a recent data has revealed while highlighting the degrading law and order situation in the country since the current interim government led by Muhammad Yunus came to power in August 2024.
“Since the fall of the Awami League regime in August last year, the BNP has been plagued by clashes between party factions, leading to the deaths of at least 43 leaders and activists,” a report in Bangladesh’s leading newspaper ‘The Daily Star’ cited on Friday.
“At least 2000 BNP men were injured in around 200 incidents in 50 districts, according to an analysis of monthly reports of Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) and The Daily Star’s findings from media reports,” it added.
The data reveals that nine BNP men were killed in August, 11 in September, one in October, six in November, six in December, three in January, three in February, and four until March 19. Nearly 493 party workers were injured in December and 491 in September 2024.
Clashes were reported at least 41 times in December and January. Earlier this week, supporters of former BNP Parliamentarian Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury and Chittagong district north BNP Convener Golam Akbar Khondokar clashed, leaving several people injured.
On Wednesday, a leader of the student wing of the party, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) died and several other people were injured following a clash between two groups in the Bhola district of Bangladesh.
In a similar incident, on Tuesday, at least 11 people were injured in a clash between two BNP factions over holding Iftar gatherings in the Sirajganj district of Bangladesh, media outlet UNB reported.
The infighting within the BNP has intensified since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina government as different groups continue to engage in show of strength. The law enforcers and party insiders said that the clashes are taking place due to rivalries over supremacy and extortion money.
The party insiders also stated that the recent spate of internal feuds stems from the confidence that the BNP will come to power winning the next general election and opportunist groups are now desperate to grab power.
Khaleda Zia’s BNP worked hand in glove with the student leaders and Muhammad Yunus to overthrow the democratically-elected government of Awami League, emerging as the largest political party in Bangladesh after the fall of arch-rival Hasina. However, since then, deep fissures have appeared within the BNP, leaving several of its top leaders dead.
IANS