BNP leader dies at polling station in Khulna

A BNP leader named Mohibuzzaman Kochi, former office secretary of Khulna Metropolitan BNP, died at the Alia Madrasa polling station in Khulna Sadar on Thursday morning at around 8:10 am.

According to eyewitnesses and police, tension broke out near the Alia Madrasa Academic Bhaban polling center shortly after 8 am between supporters of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Yusuf Harun Majnu, former organising secretary of Khulna Sadar Police Station unit of BNP, alleged that the principal of Alia Madrasa, who was reportedly campaigning for Jamaat, pushed Mohibuzzaman Kochi after being asked to stop. He claimed Kochi hit his head on a tree as a result and died from the injury.

The center director from Jamaat, Mahbubur Rahman, denied any pushing or beating. He said BNP supporters were trying to oust Jamaat women workers from the area, and when he intervened to stop them, one person fell ill. He later heard the man had died and suggested checking the madrasa’s CCTV footage for clarity. He emphasised that no one was physically assaulted.

The presiding officer, Saiful Islam, stated that the incident occurred outside the polling center and was therefore not his responsibility.

SI Khan Faisal Rafi, the officer-in-charge from Sadar Police Station, said police quickly intervened when tension arose between the two groups and separated them.

He noted that one person was later seen being taken away in an auto-rickshaw, but there was no visible pushing or fighting at the scene.

Dr. Partha Roy, Emergency Medical Officer at Khulna City Medical College Hospital, confirmed that Mohibuzzaman Kochi was brought to the hospital already dead and that there were no visible signs of injury on his body.

BNP candidate for Khulna-2 constituency, Nazrul Islam Manju, accused a Jamaat leader of killing the BNP leader by pushing him and demanded the arrest of the principal and Mahbubur Rahman.

Sheikh Jahangir Alam, chief agent for the Jamaat candidate in Khulna-2, described the death as resulting from a heart attack and called it unfortunate that Jamaat was being implicated.

He clarified that the principal is not involved with Jamaat.

Abdur Rahim Mia, principal of Khulna Alia Madrasa, said he had just voted at another center (Saburanesa) and was entering his house when he saw some women being pushed out. He asked everyone to leave the area but denied pushing anyone himself.