Bangladesh labor leader gets shot in head during violent protests over Hadi's killing

A senior labor leader of Bangladesh's National Citizens Party (NCP), Md Motaleb Sikder, was shot in the head in broad daylight on Monday in Khulna. The 42-year-old leader was targeted around 12:15 PM while he was at a house in the Sonadanga area. Sikder, who serves as the Khulna divisional convener of Jatiya Sramik Shakti, the party’s labor wing, was reportedly involved in organizing an upcoming divisional rally when the attack occurred.

The shooting has intensified the already volatile atmosphere in Bangladesh, marking the second high-profile attack on a youth-aligned leader this month. According to eyewitnesses and party officials, unidentified miscreants opened fire on Sikder near Gazi Medical College Hospital. Initial reports described his condition as critical, causing immediate panic among his supporters and party colleagues who gathered at the hospital in large numbers.

However, subsequent medical updates have brought some relief to the NCP leadership. Doctors at the facility stated that the bullet grazed Sikder’s skull rather than penetrating deep into the brain, and he is currently in stable condition. Saif Newaz, an organizer of the NCP’s Khulna unit, confirmed that while the injury is serious, Sikder is conscious and responding to treatment. Police have cordoned off the area and are scanning CCTV footage to identify the shooters.

This incident comes just days after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, which had already triggered widespread protests and unrest across the country. The NCP has condemned the attack on Sikder, calling it a planned attempt to silence political voices and disrupt their organizational activities.