The attack on Bangladesh Congress candidate Ashraful Alom is an unconscionable act of violence that needs to be investigated by law enforcers without delay.
According to news reports, Alom was attacked while campaigning for his candidacy, allegedly by supporters of the ruling party, who proceeded to beat him and his supporters. This is the second time that Alom has come under assault during his campaigning activities.
It is incredibly disheartening to see violence and unrest become this deeply entrenched in our political landscape, to the point where candidates could be assaulted in broad daylight without repercussions.
According to a study, close to 6,500 people fell victim to political violence between January and September this year with around 70 losing their lives. Whenever election season comes around, unrest and violence expectedly follow -- this is a cultural issue that we must overcome.
Our political leadership needs to set the precedent, to that end. They must send a message that any and all political violence would not be tolerated. The public has had more than enough of the callousness towards human life which paves the way to havoc and injury -- they have all made it abundantly clear that no one condones or supports violence.
Whether it is the ruling party or the opposition, a consensus must be reached in ending the culture of violence in our politics, for the good of the candidates and indeed the wider public at large.
We urge the authorities to investigate the attack on Ashraful Alom, and indeed any instances of violence against political candidates. If left unchecked, such violence will surely usher in a dark age for Bangladesh.