Violence marred Bangladesh’s general elections on Thursday, with at least one political leader killed and others injured in separate clashes, even as India maintains a wait-and-watch approach on the outcomes.
The Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a media briefing, reiterated New Delhi’s support for transparent elections. ‘India stands for fair and credible polls in Bangladesh. We will review the mandate post-results and engage on key concerns,’ he noted.
Despite an official invitation, India refrained from dispatching observers, preferring to track the process through other channels. This decision assumes significance against the backdrop of chaotic scenes reported from polling booths.
In Khulna’s Alia Madrasa, BNP’s Mohibuzzaman Kochi became the first casualty. Local media, citing witnesses and police, detailed how a scuffle between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami activists escalated. The madrasa head’s pro-Jamaat activities reportedly sparked the row, culminating in Kochi’s fatal fall.
Yusuf Harun Majnu, a senior BNP figure, blamed the principal for provoking the violence that led to the push and subsequent tragedy. Khulna Sadar Police’s Sub-Inspector Khan Faisal Rafi confirmed intervening to de-escalate, while hospital officials verified Kochi’s death.
Further afield in Gopalganj Sadar, a crude bomb hurled at a polling center wounded three voters, underscoring widespread unrest. Bengali daily Jugantor highlighted these as symptoms of a fraying security apparatus.
As Bangladesh grapples with these developments, India’s measured response signals a strategic pause, poised to respond based on the electorate’s verdict. The coming hours will reveal whether the polls deliver stability or deepen divisions.