Political Parties Rally Behind Chief Adviser’s Call for Unity to Thwart Conspiracies

Political Parties Rally Behind Chief Adviser’s Call for Unity to Thwart Conspiracies

In the aftermath of the shooting of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, a prominent figure of the July uprising, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizens Party (NCP) to remain united to prevent any conspiracy aimed at disrupting the upcoming election.

Warning that ousted forces are attempting to derail the electoral process, Professor Yunus called for collective resolve. Party leaders, in turn, assured him that they would set aside differences and stand together to counter any destabilising efforts.

On Saturday—one day after the attack on Osman Hadi—leaders of the three parties met the Chief Adviser at the state guest house Jamuna. Following the meeting, the Chief Adviser’s office briefed the media on the discussions.

Osman Hadi, convener of the Inqilab Moncho and a potential independent candidate for the Dhaka–8 constituency, was shot in the capital on Friday afternoon—just a day after the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and referendum was announced, with polling set for 12 February. He sustained a gunshot wound to the head and remains in critical condition at Evercare Hospital.

Amid growing concerns over law and order ahead of the election, Professor Yunus convened the meeting with party leaders. Prior to this, he also met members of Osman Hadi’s family.

Those present included BNP standing committee members Salahuddin Ahmed and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed; Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair; NCP Convener Nahid Islam and the party’s southern region chief organiser Hasnat Abdullah. Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber were also in attendance.

‘They have deployed trained shooters’

Describing the attack as a warning, the Chief Adviser said the incident reflected a premeditated and deep-rooted conspiracy backed by powerful forces determined to prevent the election. He called the shooting “highly symbolic.”

“Based on the information available so far, it appears the conspirators have expanded their network and taken to the field with trained shooters,” Professor Yunus said.

He urged both the government and political parties to remain steadfast, warning that these forces are attempting to demonstrate their strength and undermine election preparations. Such efforts, he said, must be resisted collectively.

Professor Yunus also called on parties to move beyond recent internal conflicts among pro–July uprising forces. “Political debate will continue, but we must move away from treating one another as enemies or resorting to attacks. Tensions arise during elections, but they must remain within a controllable limit,” he said.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul cautioned that the Awami League regained momentum as soon as infighting began among political groups. He stressed the need for vigilance not only in partisan interests, but also in the national interest.

‘Without unity, no security measures will work’

Leaders of the attending parties pledged unity, acknowledging that division would only pave the way for the return of the ousted Awami League.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said, “In the current situation, unity is essential. We must not engage in mutual blame. No matter our political differences, for the sake of the nation and the spirit of July, we must stand together.” He also called for stronger operations to recover illegal weapons and tougher action against conspirators.

Jamaat leader Mia Golam Parwar said recent exchanges had increased mutual blame, giving opponents an opening. “In pursuit of narrow party interests, we have turned each other into adversaries. Why should we make statements that divide the nation? We must restore unity and uphold our commitments,” he said.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam pointed to what he described as anti–July uprising propaganda, saying narratives are being shaped to portray the uprising’s participants as criminals. He alleged efforts to “normalise” the Awami League and the Jatiya Party through media appearances, administrative engagements, university activities, and slogans within court premises.

Nahid called for action against those advancing the Awami League’s agenda under the guise of intellectual or cultural activism. “We must collectively take ownership of July. Endless debates over its definition are destroying it. The conspirators see our disunity as defeat—they act freely from India while we remain paralysed,” he said.

He added that he did not seek special security for himself and would not accept it.

NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah concluded, “If we fail to remain united ourselves, no security arrangement will be of any use.”