BNP leader Mirza Abbas addressed a protest rally in Nayapaltan today. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Dec 13, 2025 (BSS) - BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas today said the attack on Inqilab Manch spokesperson and Dhaka-8 independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi is an assault on nation's's democracy, sovereignty, and freedom.

"The attack on Sharif Osman Hadi is not a personal matter; it is a direct assault on the democratic rights, sovereignty, and freedom of the people of Bangladesh," he said.

Mirza Abbas made the remarks while speaking before a nationwide protest rally organized by the BNP at its central office in Nayapaltan.

Hadi was critically injured after armed assailants opened fire on him in the capital's Paltan area on Friday. Mirza Abbas strongly condemned the attack and called it "unfortunate."

Comparing Hadi to his own son, Mirza Abbas said the incident had left him deeply shaken. He added that BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi immediately informed him about the attack, prompting him to rush to the scene and then to the hospital.

"Upon arriving at the hospital, I saw Hadi being taken to the operation theatre on a stretcher. I waited for almost an hour. There was some unruly behavior during this time, but I instructed my people to remain calm to ensure his treatment was not interrupted. He must be saved," he said.

Reflecting on his political career, Mirza Abbas said, "I have participated in many elections where rival candidates maintained mutual goodwill. There is no record in my life of candidates ever getting into fights. Such incidents are the work of an evil force."

He condemned the culture of attacking candidates as anti-democratic and claimed that the attack on Hadi was not an isolated incident, referring to a previous attack in Chattogram. 

Mirza Abbas called these incidents part of a broader conspiracy and said more details would emerge over time.

Urging unity to protect the country, he warned against exploiting the current chaotic situation. 

He also wished Hadi a speedy recovery and expressed hope to see him actively contesting in elections. "Victory and defeat are in the hands of Allah, and anyone wishing to contest must do so through the electoral process," he said.