A scrap trader Lal Chand, also known as Sohag was brutally murdered near Dhaka’s Mitford Hospital on Wednesday (July 9), this incident has ignited across Bangladesh, followed by condemnation from political parties as well as people from all walks of society.

However, in the midst of protests, rallies were held in Dhaka University, Jagannath University, BUET, Eden Mohila College, and other educational institutions under the banner of “general students.” 

These demonstrations attracted attention because of slogans directly attacking the BNP and its Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. Slogans included “Extortion collected in Paltan, share goes to London,” and “Jubo Dal kills, what does Tarique Rahman do?” 

At this time, with such chants, some obscene and offensive words were also uttered against Tarique Rahman. The language has sparked wide controversy, with critics questioning whether the demonstrations were politically orchestrated to discredit Tarique, who has recently gained positive public perception following the fall of the Awami League.

Analysis of videos circulating on social media and information from multiple sources suggest that members of certain student organisations affiliated with specific political parties pressured general students to participate in the rallies. Those same demonstrations were where the offensive slogans were heard, leading many political observers to suspect a deliberate ploy.

Since the fall of the Awami League’s “fascist” government on August 5, Tarique Rahman has consistently instructed his party to uphold tolerance and harmony in politics. He also adopted a zero-tolerance policy against extortion and criminality, resulting in the expulsion of over 2,000 BNP leaders and activists. In the wake of the Mitford murder, five members of Jubo Dal were permanently expelled for involvement.

Several Standing Committee members confirmed that after 5 August, the Acting Chairman has taken immediate organisational measures against any violation of discipline or criminal conduct, including expulsions without hesitation.

In this context, BNP central leaders have expressed suspicion over the purpose of the abusive slogans and the accompanying smear campaign. They see it as part of a wider conspiracy to politically corner both BNP and Tarique Rahman ahead of the next national election.

According to political analysts, not everyone has welcomed BNP’s demand for rapid elections. Whenever there are signs of progress toward elections, adversaries become active. The situation is being aggravated by some overzealous BNP activists whose actions provide material for propaganda against the party.

Analysts further said that since the fall of the “fascist” Awami League, efforts have intensified to portray BNP as an extortionist group. Some political leaders have repeatedly hinted at this narrative. Given how quickly content spreads on social media, it has become easier to provoke public outrage online against BNP leaders.

From the beginning, Tarique Rahman has warned party leaders and activists about these conspiracies. Nevertheless, successive incidents are gradually pushing BNP into a defensive position. On Saturday (12 July), Tarique Rahman warned during a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal event, “Slowly, the invisible enemies are becoming visible. The conspiracy is not yet over.”

BNP’s strong stance on Mitford killing

According to sources, BNP is locked in disagreements with other parties over reforms, the July declaration, and preparations for the election, the Old Dhaka murder has politically cornered the party. The incident has also heated up the broader political landscape. After videos of the killing spread on social media, parties including the National Citizen Party (NCP) issued strong reactions.

BNP condemned the killing and demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits. In a statement issued Friday night (July 11), BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the barbaric killing shocked the conscience of the nation in the aftermath of the mass movement that toppled the Awami League. He warned that failure to deliver justice would deepen the culture of impunity.

Some parties and leaders have accused BNP of evading responsibility, but Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed rejected the allegations. Speaking to Banglanews, he said, “Where did BNP evade responsibility? We expelled those involved immediately upon receiving complaints. After that, it is the duty of the government and law enforcement to act. It is unfortunate that certain quarters are using this incident for dirty politics.”

Regarding the slogans against Tarique Rahman, he said, “Is Tarique Rahman running the government? Why are slogans being hurled at him?”

Plot to Tarnish Tarique Rahman’s ‘Unrivalled’ Image

Political insiders believe that as Tarique Rahman has established himself as Bangladesh’s unrivalled political leader, a group is determined to damage his image. They argue that sidelining Tarique would make it easier to implement the “minus two” formula, a scheme that dates back to the 1/11 military-backed caretaker government of Fakhruddin Ahmed and Moeen U Ahmed. According to them, the slogans reveal that rather than demanding justice for Sohag’s killing, the main aim is to target BNP and Tarique Rahman.

After the Awami League’s fall, Tarique Rahman has displayed significant political maturity. When the government collapsed and Sheikh Hasina fled, there was no functioning administration for three days in August. Police officers who had once pointed guns at protesters were reportedly in hiding. The entire nation grew anxious about law and order.

On 7 August, in a virtual address to a BNP rally at Nayapaltan, Tarique Rahman called on the administration to restore order firmly. He urged that no one should feel insecure due to religion or background, declaring, “Our first identity is that we are Bangladeshis.” He also instructed BNP leaders to protect all citizens regardless of faith and to shield people from harm.

He declared that victory would only be complete if the public felt safe. Reiterating BNP’s zero tolerance for criminality, he said BNP had no links to looters and thugs and called on the party to take responsibility for protecting Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and others.

His remarks sent a fresh signal in politics. Urging leaders to pledge integrity, he said, “Let us vow never to do anything that destroys public trust.” He stressed that politics should be about earning confidence, not seizing power.

Later in November, ahead of his birthday, he banned celebrations and warned that disciplinary action would be taken against violators. He also prohibited the use of honorific titles like “Desh Nayak” or “Rashtra Nayak” before his name. Since the fall of the Awami League, he has prioritised party discipline, virtually attending meetings and listening closely to grassroots leaders.

After 17 years of suppressed free speech, on 11 August he shared a cartoon about himself by Mehedi Hasan on Facebook and praised the artist, writing, “I am very happy that the freedom to draw political cartoons has been restored in Bangladesh.”

Politicians consider Tarique Rahman Mature Leader

Commenting on Tarique Rahman’s evolving leadership, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna told a television interview, “Tarique Rahman has re-emerged as a more competent and transformed leader. There is a big difference between him 15 years ago and now.”

Manna added, “Fifteen years ago I heard his speeches. Today, he seems much more mature and capable. He has gained humility but can also take firm decisions, which is necessary. A leader must be transparent inside and yet strong when needed. This change gives me hope.”

British magazine The Week in its April issue published a cover story titled Destiny’s Child, describing how Tarique Rahman’s leadership has kept BNP united against the Awami League’s attempts to break it apart. The report said Tarique is on the path to becoming the next Prime Minister as his popularity steadily rises.

Longstanding Conspiracy

A faction has been spreading negative campaigns against Tarique Rahman since the 1/11 period. At the time, newspapers regularly ran stories linking Tarique to corruption and “Hawa Bhaban.” Evidence later emerged of foreign intelligence agencies’ involvement, while local agencies also played key roles.

Information suggests that to implement “minus two,” then-Army Chief Gen. Moeen U Ahmed ordered multiple corruption cases to be filed against Tarique. Moeen admitted in his book One Eleven that cases were filed under his direction, though neither NBR nor the Anti-Corruption Commission ever proved Tarique guilty. Even during Sheikh Hasina’s 15 years in power, none of the accusations, including Siemens, Harbin, power sector scams, the Zia Orphanage Trust case, or the 10-truck arms case, were ever proven.

In the past 11 months, allegations of extortion and land grabbing have increasingly been linked to BNP. The high command is striving to curb these activities, but with Tarique outside the country, party discipline has become harder to enforce.

Political observers believe that BNP’s internal problems—more leaders than committed activists, Khaleda Zia’s illness, Tarique’s absence, and factionalism—are undermining the party’s efforts to shape the new state order after July’s upheaval. In this situation, many see the targeting of BNP and Tarique Rahman as another layer of conspiracy.

On Sunday afternoon (13 July), BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul said at an event in Dhaka, “The propaganda we see today is part of a clear conspiracy to destroy nationalist forces in Bangladesh and to annihilate Mr Tarique Rahman, who shows promise as a leader.”

Avoid moves that divide uprising force

Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor and philosophy professor Dr Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan told Banglanews, “The Mitford killing is extremely heinous. After the uprising, we did not expect such incidents. The government must bring the culprits to justice regardless of their political identity.”

Regarding the one-sided blame of BNP and Tarique Rahman, he said, “We must remember that all of us together carried out the uprising. Some are trying to sow division among the forces that supported it. If we generalise and blame an entire party, that is wrong. In every party, there are good and bad people. The focus should be on punishing the real perpetrators.”

On the slogans against Tarique Rahman, Dr Ahsan cautioned, “We should be careful with words. Perhaps in emotion, such language was used. The slogans should have demanded swift justice, not personal attacks. We must not do anything that fractures the unity of the uprising.”

MSK/