Narayanganj (Bangladesh): A local office of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj was allegedly set on fire in the early hours of Saturday, days after the party’s sweeping win in the February 12 general election, local media reported.
The incident occurred around 3:45 am in the Shimulia Bazar area, Officer-in-Charge Shabzel Hossain of Rupganj Police Station told The Daily Star. According to police, unidentified individuals reportedly broke a window, poured a flammable substance inside the premises and ignited the fire before fleeing the scene. Two suspects have been identified, and an investigation is ongoing.
Mansur Mia, president of the Rupganj union Jubo Dal, said construction of the office had begun about a month ago and was completed only a week earlier. He stated that party leaders and workers were present there until around midnight on Friday, and the blaze was discovered a few hours later.
Local residents assisted in dousing the flames, though furniture and materials inside the office were damaged, the report said. Mansur Mia alleged that a petrol bomb may have been used, citing the rapid spread of the fire.
Speculation over the motive has surfaced, with Upazila BNP General Secretary Bashir Uddin Bacchu suggesting that rival political elements could be involved. The officer-in-charge said local BNP representatives are preparing to submit a formal complaint, after which legal action will proceed based on the findings of the investigation.
The arson incident comes shortly after the BNP, led by Chairperson Tarique Rahman, secured a commanding majority in the 300-seat parliament in the February 12 polls. The election marked the first national vote since the 2024 mass protests that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Voter turnout was reported at approximately 59 per cent, with Rahman set to assume office as prime minister. The Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami alliance is expected to serve as the principal opposition.
Following the results, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Rahman in a message posted on X, expressing hope for stronger bilateral ties. The BNP acknowledged the message and reiterated its commitment to democratic governance and constructive engagement with India.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new BNP-led government is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Chief Adviser of the interim government Muhammad Yunus has invited leaders from 13 countries, including India, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan, to attend the ceremony, according to local media reports.
BNP leader ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi would attend the event, describing it as a matter of diplomatic courtesy and underscoring the party’s stated foreign policy approach of maintaining friendly ties with all nations.
