Internal conflicts within the BNP have reportedly claimed 74 lives across the country since August 5, reflecting rifts and escalating tensions among rival factions.
Mamun Bhuiyan, 35, an activist of the BNP’s youth wing, Jubo Dal, was shot dead during a clash between two rival factions of the BNP in Rupganj, Narayanganj, a nearby district of Dhaka, on June 10.
On the same day, in Sharsha, Jessore, a southwestern district of the country, another BNP activist, Liton Hossain, 30, was hacked to death over political disputes.
Liton’s father claimed his son was deliberately killed over political rivalry.
These incidents have sparked concern among political observers and raised questions about the party’s internal stability and leadership.
In most of these cases, lawsuits have been filed naming BNP leaders and activists as the accused, with over 100 party men arrested.
Meanwhile, the BNP has expelled around 50 leaders involved in the violence.
An analysis by Dhaka Tribune shows that nine were killed in August 2024, eight in September, three in October, six in November, five in December, three in January 2025, seven in February, 16 in March, six in April, six in May, and five in the first 16 days of June.
Data reveals that most of these deaths stemmed from internal feuds over dominance, control of sand mining, contracts, leases, transport hubs, markets and clashes during party programs.
Of the country’s eight divisions, Chittagong saw the highest number of deaths (19), followed by Khulna (14), Dhaka (13), Rajshahi (nine), Mymensingh (nine), Sylhet (three), Rangpur (three), and Barisal (four).
According to the human rights group Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), from January to August 5, 2024, there were only two incidents of internal violence within the BNP, injuring 11 but causing no deaths.
However, following the fall of the Awami League government, the frequency of clashes has surged.
Between August 2024 and April 2025, the BNP saw 291 internal clashes, leaving 3,352 injured and 63 dead.
Of these, from January to April alone, 154 clashes resulted in 1,660 injured and 32 dead.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi admitted the violence. “There is no way to deny that clashes have taken place. We have taken punitive measures against those involved and, as a result, the situation is gradually improving.”
Separate data from Human Rights Support Society (HRSS) shows that six BNP activists were killed in May, eight in April, 17 in March -- the highest in a single month -- five in February and five in January.
According to HRSS, from September last year to May this year, Bangladesh witnessed 815 incidents of political violence, resulting in 118 deaths and 6,046 injuries.
Of those killed, 74 were BNP activists, 26 were from the Awami League, six from the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), two from the Jamaat-e-Islami, one from the National Citizen Party (NCP), and the rest from other parties.
ASK data also shows that in the first six months of 2024, at least 41 people were killed in 448 incidents of political violence.
Among them, nine were killed in the Awami League's internal feuds, while 32 died in violence related to national and local elections.
From August 2024 to April 2025, there were 425 incidents of political clashes across the country, resulting in 102 deaths.
'Killings are never acceptable'
Asked about the underlying causes of such political killings, Dr Samina Luthfa, associate professor of sociology at Dhaka University, told Dhaka Tribune: “Political conflict exists in every country, but killings are never acceptable. The causes of these murders often reflect the law-and-order situation in a country. Sometimes, personal disputes escalate into political killings.”
Regarding the rise in internal killings within the BNP since August 5, she said: “When the Awami League was in power, we saw many such incidents of infighting resulting in deaths. The BNP had long been engaged in a movement against the fascist regime, which prevented internal clashes. Now, after the fall of that regime, such incidents are surfacing. It is not entirely unexpected.”
She added: “No form of killing is desirable. The BNP, as a large political party, will inevitably face internal differences, but it must ensure these do not turn violent. Both the BNP leadership and law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to prevent such clashes. While factional conflicts are not unusual, they must be brought under control.”
