BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has strongly condemned the attack on Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur and the violent clashes that erupted in Kakrail on Friday (August 29).

In a statement posted on his verified Facebook page late Friday night, he wished Nur a speedy recovery and urged the government to initiate a lawful investigation into the incident. 

Tarique Rahman said the BNP denounces the attack on Nur and the violence in Kakrail in the strongest terms.

He warned that Bangladesh is entering a highly sensitive phase in its democratic transition, with the national election being the first step. 

He stressed that all democratic and pro-reform forces, including, BNP, its allies, and other opposition groups, must show restraint and tolerance to ensure that unrest like Friday’s does not derail the democratic process.

Calling for vigilance against “mob culture,” he said Bangladesh must be freed from ongoing instability and lawlessness. Only by upholding the rule of law and empowering citizens through democratic means, he argued, can the country achieve justice, equality, and dignity for all.

Tarique Rahman reiterated his call for an impartial legal investigation into the attack, while again extending prayers for Nur’s recovery.

The clashes erupted on Friday evening in front of the Jatiya Party’s central office in Kakrail, when supporters of the Jatiya Party and Gono Odhikar Parishad engaged in confrontations and counter-chases. 

Later that night, law enforcement intervened, leading to further violence. Several people, including Nur and his party’s general secretary Rashed Khan, were injured. 

Military personnel, police, and other security forces were deployed to restore order, while Nur was later hospitalized in critical condition. 
SMS/