Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
December 23, 2025 – ZenX News Desk
Bangladesh has witnessed yet another targeted shooting of a political leader as tensions continue to escalate following the death of prominent activist Sharif Osman Hadi earlier this month. The incident occurred in the southwestern city of Khulna, where unidentified gunmen opened fire on a senior political organiser on Monday afternoon.
According to local police, Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, a senior organiser with the National Citizen Party’s labour wing and a division leader in Khulna, was shot in the head around 11:45 am near his residence in the Sonadanga area. Emergency responders transported Sikdar to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where doctors reported that the bullet had grazed the left side of his skull before exiting, and his condition has since been described as stable after initial treatment.
Sikdar is known as a key figure in labour mobilisation efforts ahead of planned local demonstrations and was actively involved in organisational activities in the days leading up to the attack. Police have launched an investigation and are reviewing CCTV footage and witness accounts to identify those responsible, though no official suspects have yet been named.
This shooting comes just days after Sharif Osman Hadi, a widely recognised youth leader associated with last year’s student-led mass protests, succumbed to injuries sustained in an assassination attempt in Dhaka. Hadi was critically wounded earlier in December and later died in hospital abroad, sparking widespread unrest, street demonstrations, and heightened political tensions across the country.
The recent violence has highlighted deepening divisions within Bangladesh’s political landscape, with community leaders and human rights observers warning that such attacks on public figures could further destabilise the environment ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026.
Authorities have called for calm while affirming that security forces are working to restore order and protect civilians. The government has pledged to pursue those responsible for both recent shootings and to prevent further escalation of violence. Spectators and political commentators note that these incidents underscore a period of heightened political sensitivity and the urgent need for dialogue among competing factions.