Bangladesh Violence Escalates As Another Student Leader Shot, As India rejects Dhaka claims

Unidentified gunmen shot senior Bangladeshi political activist and former student leader Motaleb Shikder in the head in southwestern Khulna city on Monday (December 22, 2025), intensifying fears of renewed political violence weeks ahead of the country’s scheduled general elections.

The attack came just days after the killing of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, underscoring growing instability under Bangladesh’s interim government.

What happened to the student leader after he was shot at?

Motaleb Shikder, Khulna Division head of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and a central coordinator of its workers’ front, was critically injured in the shooting that took place in the city’s Majid Sarani area.

NCP joint principal coordinator Mahmuda Mitu confirmed the attack in a Facebook post, saying Shikder was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH) in critical condition.

Hospital sources quoted by the daily Kaler Kantha said Shikder was shot on the left side of his head and was bleeding profusely when he arrived.

Doctors initiated emergency treatment before shifting him to KMCH’s City Imaging Centre to assess the extent of his injuries, according to local police chief Animesh Mondal. Police said they had launched an “immediate manhunt” but were yet to identify the attackers or establish a motive.

How does Shikder’s shooting seem like a pattern?

His shooting follows the December 12 attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, a 32-year-old leader of last year’s protests that culminated in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government.

Hadi, the spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha and a candidate in the February 12 general elections, was shot in the head by masked gunmen during an election campaign in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.

Was there any arrest in Hadi’s assassination?

He later succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on December 18. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus declared nationwide mourning, vowing to leave “no stone unturned” in tracking down the perpetrators.

Police have arrested the parents and wife of Faisal Karim Masud, as well as a female friend of the prime suspect in Hadi’s killing, though authorities say Masud’s current whereabouts remain unknown. Hadi’s death sparked fresh violence across Dhaka and other major cities.

How have these incidents impacted India-Bangladesh ties?

Tensions have also risen over the safety of minority communities. India on Sunday described the killing of a minority Hindu youth in Bangladesh as a “horrendous act” and expressed “strong concern” over minority protection.

Dipu Chandra Das, 25, was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh on December 18 amid protests following Hadi’s death. His body was allegedly hung from a tree and set on fire.

What did India’s MEA say about the lynching of the Hindu youth?

Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi was closely monitoring the situation and had urged Bangladeshi authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He also rejected Bangladeshi media reports alleging threats to Bangladesh’s diplomats in India, calling them “misleading propaganda.”

How did Bangladesh react to Indian remarks?

The remarks triggered a swift response from Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossein, who said such incidents occur across South Asia and stressed that Bangladesh had already arrested several suspects.

“One Bangladeshi citizen was brutally murdered. This incident should not be mixed with minorities,” he said, adding that intercommunal relations in Bangladesh were “better than in many other parts” of the region.

Why has India shut its visa centres in Bangladesh?

The diplomatic exchange coincided with India’s decision to indefinitely shut Indian Visa Application Centres in Dhaka and Chittagong following multiple security incidents, including stone-pelting near Indian facilities in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, and Chittagong.

As Bangladesh grapples with political assassinations, street violence, and diplomatic friction, the shooting of Motaleb Shikder has heightened concerns over security and the prospects for a peaceful election season.