Who is Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar? 42-year-old senior NCP leader shot in Bangladesh, days after Osman Hadi’s death

Bangladesh NCP leader Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar shot in Khulna days after Osman Hadi’s killing

Bangladesh witnessed another incident of political violence on Monday as Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, senior leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), was shot in the head in Khulna. The attack occurred near Gazi Medical College Hospital while Sikdar was engaged in preparations for a divisional labour rally.

He was immediately taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital for emergency treatment and later shifted to City Diagnostic Centre for a CT scan. Doctors confirmed that Sikdar is out of danger. Police investigations into the incident are ongoing, but details about the attackers or the motive have not yet been disclosed.

Muhammad Motaleb Sikdar, a 42-year-old leader also reported as Motaleb Shikder, is the Khulna divisional chief of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the central organiser of its workers’ wing, Jatiya Sramik Shakti.

He is known for mobilising labour groups and coordinating organisational activities at the divisional level. At the time of the attack, Sikdar was actively preparing for a labour rally, reflecting his prominent role within the party.

The attack highlights rising political tensions in Bangladesh, following the recent surge in violence targeting youth and student leaders, and underscores the challenges facing emerging political movements in the country.

The shooting comes days after the killing of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a prominent youth leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising, whose death triggered widespread unrest across the country. Hadi, 32, was a senior leader of the student-led platform Inqilab Mancha and a vocal critic of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Following his death, thousands of protesters took to the streets in Dhaka demanding justice, and Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus described Hadi’s death as an "irreparable loss for the nation," declaring a day of mourning and special prayers nationwide.