59 political leaders, activists killed in first five and a half months, 45 from BNP

In the first five and a half months of the current year, 59 political leaders and activists were killed across the country. Of the victims, 45 were from BNP, seven from Jamaat and seven from the banned Awami League. 

Thirty people lost their lives in party conflicts and clashes and attacks with leaders and activists of other political parties. Of them, 23 were leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organizations and ive from Jamaat and two from Awami League. 

Fourteen people were killed in conflicts between BNP and affiliated organisations. Eleven people were killed in the conflict between BNP and Jamaat. Six of them were leaders and activists of BNP and five from Jamaat. Five were killed in violence between BNP and Awami League. Three of them were from BNP and two from Awami League.

Twenty-nine leaders and activists were killed in other incidents. Of them, 22 were from BNP, five from Awami League and two from Jamaat. 

In 13 of these murders, various reasons have emerged, including dominance, business conflicts, non-payment of donations, land disputes, family, accounts of waz-mahfil money and disputes over the Union Parishad elections. 

The reasons for the remaining 16 murders have not yet been confirmed. 

This picture has emerged from the analysis of statistics by the human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) and Daily Samakal’s own data.

The highest number of murders due to disputes between political leaders and activists occurred in Khulna division, with 11. Rajshahi is next, with eight people killed there. In addition, five were killed in Dhaka division, three in Mymensingh division and one each in Chattogram, Sylhet and Rangpur divisions. Of them, 14 were stabbed with sharp weapons, five were shot and 11 were beaten to death with sticks, crushed on the head with bricks and beaten to death.

According to ASK statistics, 55 political leaders and activists were killed in 347 clashes from January to May. However, while verifying that source, Daily Samakal confirmed 53 incidents. 

In addition, at the same time, BNP activist Kausaruzzaman Bablu was shot dead in Rauzan, Chattogram. And five political leaders and activists have been killed so far in June. 

In three of these incidents, the issue of conflict between political leaders and activists has come to the fore. A total of 59 political leaders and activists have been killed from January 1 to  June 15.

According to ASK, 2,636 leaders and activists were injured in clashes between political parties in the first five months of the year. Of them, 980 people were injured in clashes between BNP and Jamaat. Apart from this, 745 people were injured in intra-party clashes of BNP, 270 in clashes between supporters of BNP candidates and independent candidates, 129 in BNP-Awami League clashes and 102 in BNP-NCP clashes.