Dhaka, Feb 6 (IANS) Five people, including a child, were injured after unidentified assailants opened fire during an election campaign in the Ali Khali Rohingya camp area of Teknaf upazila in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, local media reported on Friday.
The incident took place in Block A/04 of Camp-25 at the Ali Khali Rohingya camp on Thursday at around 8:30 pm (local time). Teknaf Model police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Saiful Islam confirmed the incident, Bangladesh’s leading daily Dhaka Tribune reported.
The injured included two Rohingyas and three Bangladeshi nationals. According to witnesses, an election campaign was being held on a truck for the sheaf of a paddy symbol in the Ali Khali area on Thursday night. A group of people opened fire on the truck when a number of people had gathered near the vehicle, leaving five people injured.
Ahead of the elections set to be held on February 12, political violence in Bangladesh continues to rise sharply as casualties in January increased significantly in comparison to December 2025, local media reported citing a Dhaka-based human rights organisation.
In its latest findings, the rights group ‘Ain o Salish Kendra’ (ASK) recorded a surge in political violence in January, with 75 incidents causing 616 injuries and 11 deaths. This marked a sharp rise compared to 18 incidents in December 2025, which left 268 people injured and four dead, Bangladesh’s another leading daily The Daily Star reported.
The findings indicated that clashes intensified following the announcement of the election schedule and the start of campaigning on January 22.
ASK reported that four people were killed while 414 others injured in 49 clashes between January 21-31, highlighting a clear upward trend as polling day draws near.
The rights group documented that journalists have also been targetted amid the rising political violence, with 11 journalists facing obstruction or assault while on duty in December last year — a number that increased to 16 in January.
Expressing concern over the rising violence, the rights body urged political parties to exercise restraint and maintain peace during the campaign. It also called on law enforcement agencies to safeguard citizens and uphold their constitutional rights.
–IANS
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