As Bangladesh edges closer to the 13th National Parliamentary Elections scheduled for 12 February, the streets are increasingly marked by unrest and violence, raising fears over whether the polls can be held in a free, fair, and peaceful manner.

The latest flashpoint erupted on Friday evening in Kakrail, where clashes left several injured, including Gono Odhikar Parishad president Nurul Haque Nur, widely known as VP Nur, who sustained serious injuries in a baton charge during a confrontation with the Jatiya Party outside its Kakrail office.

Nur was rushed to hospital with serious injuries, while General Secretary Rashed Khan, himself wounded, later led a torchlight procession condemning what he described as a ‘planned attack’ and calling for a ban on the political activities of the Jatiya Party and Awami League allies.

The Jatiya Party has firmly denied responsibility, accusing Nur and his followers of provoking violence and attempting to mobilise a mob for political gain.

“They call us allies, but what does that make them? Nurul was once a Chhatra League leader. Their main aim is to create chaos and take advantage,” a Jatiya Party activist retorted.

Witnesses reported that the Gono Odhikar rally, originally called to demand a ban on Awami League’s political activities, quickly turned into a pitched battle as stone-throwing between rival groups escalated, forcing police and Army personnel to intervene.

Friday’s violence has unsettled many, coming so soon after another confrontation at Shahbagh involving BSC Engineers which ended with the hurried formation of a high-powered committee.

Eight cops hurt in clash with BUET students in Shabagh recently

Such incidents are becoming frequent, each one deepening anxiety among citizens and weakening confidence in the electoral process. Analysts fear that these recurring clashes are part of a deliberate strategy to destabilise the political environment in the run-up to the polls.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was quick to denounce the Kakrail attack, warning of attempts to push aside centrist and liberal politics in favour of extremist currents.

“There is a conspiracy to dismantle liberal democracy and bring back extremist politics. This will be extremely damaging for Bangladesh. We must all work together to protect democratic values,” he said at the National Press Club.

At the same time, Jamaat-e-Islami Naib-e-Ameer Dr Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher reiterated his party’s commitment to participating in elections, expected on 15 February, but insisted that reforms and legal recognition of the July Charter are essential if the vote is to be credible.

Yet even as they speak of unity, divisions remain clear. BNP, widely regarded as the strongest contender to return to power in the absence of the Awami League, remains wary of being seen as too closely aligned with Jamaat.

Islamist groups, meanwhile, sense a rare opportunity in the changed political landscape but are themselves divided by mistrust and old rivalries. Smaller parties fear marginalisation should BNP dominate the opposition front, and tensions over electoral strategy risk widening these rifts.

Beyond the major parties, leaders of emerging groups have added their voices to claims of conspiracy. Sarjis Alam of the National Citizen Party alleged that Nur had been deliberately targeted by security forces acting under higher command.

“The Army never takes action without orders. Who authorised this brutal attack? Were they protecting the Jatiya Party?” he asked in a statement, warning of “dark forces” embedded within state institutions. Such allegations have further fuelled public suspicion that shadowy elements may be seeking to manipulate the fragile political environment.

For residents of the capital, the repeated outbreaks of violence are already taking a heavy toll, paralysing daily life and disrupting traffic. A former vice-chancellor, speaking to THE BANGLADESH EXPRESS on condition of anonymity, argued that many of the protests and demands now crowding Dhaka’s streets lack genuine substance.

“If you examine their slogans, you will find little validity. Instead, you will smell conspiracy to thwart the upcoming national election,” he observed.

The Election Commission itself has admitted that it faces mounting challenges. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said on Friday that his office is grappling with “new and multifaceted” obstacles ranging from political unrest to law-and-order breakdowns and technological concerns.

“Every day we encounter challenges that did not exist in earlier elections,” he warned. Uncertainty is further compounded by the debate over proportional representation in parliament, which Jamaat has pressed as part of its reform agenda.

With the election date fast approaching, the stakes are higher than ever. BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has repeatedly called for unity in the face of conspiracies, urging party activists to remain vigilant against attempts to derail the democratic process.

Yet whether BNP can manage its fraught relationship with Jamaat while countering destabilisation remains unclear. The violent scenes in Kakrail underline how fragile the situation has become. If such unrest continues, the hope of a peaceful transition after Sheikh Hasina’s downfall risks being replaced by political chaos.

The coming weeks will determine whether Bangladesh moves towards stability through the ballot box or slips further into turmoil.