Post-Poll Clash Claims Young Supporter

A young supporter of an independent candidate has died after sustaining critical injuries in post-election violence in Kachua, Bagerhat district, underscoring renewed concerns over political clashes following national polls. Osman Sardar, 29, succumbed to his injuries at around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday while undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital, his elder brother Enamul Kabir Sardar confirmed.

Osman, the son of Shahjahan Sardar from Parnawapara village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila, was known locally as a supporter of the independent candidate M A H Selim, who contested the Bagerhat-2 (Sadar–Kachua) constituency using the horse symbol. According to family members and neighbours, tensions in the area had been simmering since the declaration of results, with rival groups trading accusations over alleged intimidation and reprisals.

The fatal incident occurred on Friday evening in Chitabari village of Dhopakhali Union, where supporters of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), identified by the sheaf-of-paddy symbol, clashed with activists backing the independent candidate. Eyewitnesses reported that an initial exchange of words escalated rapidly into violence involving sticks and sharp weapons. Osman was among at least ten people injured from both sides during the confrontation.

His brother alleged that a group of BNP supporters had been searching for backers of the horse-symbol candidate in the neighbourhood. “When they encountered my brother and others, a heated argument broke out. At one point, he was struck on the head with a machete,” Enamul Kabir Sardar said. Osman was first taken to the district hospital in Bagerhat, where doctors stabilised him before referring him to Khulna for specialised care. Despite emergency treatment and intensive monitoring, he died from head injuries the following morning.

The officer-in-charge of Bagerhat Model Police Station, Md Masum Khan, said police had been deployed to the affected villages to prevent further unrest. “We have initiated inquiries to establish the cause of the clash and to identify those responsible. Legal action will follow once suspects are confirmed,” he said, adding that additional patrols were in place to deter retaliatory attacks.

The violence unfolded against a charged political backdrop. In the Bagerhat-2 constituency, BNP’s official nominee Sheikh Mohammad Zakir Hossain faced competition from the party’s former district president and ex-MP, M A H Selim, who ran as an independent. Both were defeated by Jamaat-e-Islami-backed candidate Sheikh Manjurul Haque Rahad by a wide margin, a result that surprised many local observers and heightened post-poll tensions.

Local civil society representatives warned that unresolved political rivalries and the circulation of weapons in rural areas have made post-election periods particularly volatile. They urged party leaders to publicly discourage reprisals and cooperate with law enforcement to prevent further loss of life.

Key facts at a glance

Residents in Kachua reported an uneasy calm on Saturday afternoon as police patrols continued. Community leaders have called for restraint, warning that cycles of retaliation threaten to erode public safety and trust in democratic processes long after ballots have been cast.