Another student leader shot at in Bangladesh; condition critical

DHAKA —  A student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) leader was shot by miscreants in Bangladesh's Khulna on Monday, just days after the killing of radical Islamist leader Sharif Osman Hadi, as the violence continues to grip the South Asian nation. 

According to local media reports, the injured was identified as 42-year-old Mohammad Motaleb Sikder, who was serving as the Khulna divisional chief of the NCP and a central organiser of NCP Sramik Shakti.

The incident occurred around 11:45 a.m. at a house near Gazi Medical College Hospital in the Sonadanga area of the city.

People present at the scene took Motaleb to Khulna Medical College Hospital, from where he was taken to City Diagnostic Centre for a CT scan. He continues to remain in critical condition.

The NCP was scheduled to hold a divisional labour rally in Khulna, and Motaleb was overseeing the arrangements, Saif Newaz, an organiser of NCP's Khulna metropolitan city, told the leading Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo.

The police said that the investigation is underway.

Md Rafikul Islam, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Sonadanga Model Police Station, told the local media that the bullet entered through one side of Motaleb's ear, pierced the skin, and exited through the other side, reports leading local media outlet, The Daily Star.

This incident comes just days after Hadi was shot on December 12 by assailants in Dhaka.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a candidate from the Dhaka-8 parliamentary constituency for the forthcoming general elections, was critically injured in a shooting incident carried out by unidentified criminals in Dhaka's Paltan area on December 12.

Following the attack, he was initially admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital as his condition remained serious.

After his health further deteriorated, Hadi was flown to Singapore for advanced medical treatment.