BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that the recent murder of scrap trader Lal Chand, also known as Sohag (39), in front of Mitford Hospital in the capital, is being politically exploited to serve vested interests and disrupt the electoral environment.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan on Monday (July 14), Fakhrul said the party has formed a fact-finding and investigative committee to probe the underlying causes of Lal Chand’s killing.
“There is ample reason to suspect that a certain quarter is using this incident—provoked under a specific agenda—as a pretext to obstruct the environment for the upcoming national election,” Fakhrul stated.
Lal Chand was brutally killed in broad daylight last Wednesday near the busy Mitford Hospital area. Several leaders and activists of the BNP’s affiliated bodies—Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal—have reportedly been linked to the incident.
The BNP has already expelled five members in connection with the killing, which has sparked widespread public outrage. Protests demanding an end to extortion and political violence were held across the country on Sunday. In response, the government has announced a special combing operation to maintain order.
Mirza Fakhrul said the murder is being used as a tool to destabilize the political landscape. “Despite the presence of many people and law enforcement officers near the scene, no immediate intervention raises serious questions among the public,” he added.
He claimed the video of the July 9 incident was deliberately circulated on social media during ‘prime time’ after Jumma prayers on July 11.
“Pre-prepared photo cards were spread from specific social media pages and IDs in a coordinated campaign of disinformation. This indicates that propaganda materials had been created in advance,” he said.
Fakhrul also criticized the government for what he termed its indifference to combating unethical politics. He expressed hope that all responsible political actors would recognize the dangerous implications of the current volatile political situation.
“Those who obstruct the democratic process through politically unethical behavior must bear the consequences,” he warned.
He reiterated that the BNP will show no sympathy toward wrongdoers. “Instead of acknowledging our strong stance—evidenced by expelling the accused merely on allegations—a coordinated campaign is being launched to malign the BNP and its acting chairman Tarique Rahman. This undermines the country’s democratic aspirations.”
Questioning the political culture, Fakhrul asked whether the current wave of vulgar protests and anti-BNP slogans are driving the nation back to an era of fascism, especially when the party is not even in power.
He also condemned the use of “obscene and indecent” language against Tarique Rahman, saying such rhetoric represents the “echo of fascist Hasina and her party’s voice” that goes against the people’s desire for clean politics.
Referring to the recent murder of a Jubo Dal leader in Khulna, Fakhrul questioned the consistency of the national outcry, implying a double standard in responses to political violence.
“The murder by a handful of miscreants runs counter to the spirit of last July’s public uprising. It can only be interpreted as another attempt to destroy the rule of law,” he said.
Stressing the BNP’s firm position, Fakhrul declared, “The party believes that an individual’s crime does not represent the party. We demand a swift and exemplary trial of Lal Chand’s murder.”
Senior BNP leaders present at the press conference included Abdul Moyeen Khan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Selima Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Maj. (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and AZM Zahid Hossain.
