Independent candidate and Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was critically injured after being shot by unidentified assailants in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He is currently under intensive medical observation at Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s One Stop Service Center. The attack has sparked concerns about rising political violence ahead of the national elections. Al Jazeera journalist Zulkarnaine Saer posted on social media alleging that a neighboring country’s intelligence agency has infiltrated Bangladesh with dozens of contract killers over recent months. He claimed that extremist groups from Kushtia and Meherpur have joined forces with underworld networks to target political figures and disrupt the election process. Saer further mentioned that cross-border communications between fugitive criminals and local extremists were recently traced, suggesting coordinated planning. Authorities have not yet confirmed these claims, but the incident underscores growing fears of election-related instability. Security agencies are expected to tighten surveillance and investigate possible transnational links behind the shooting.