The police are currently in search of the person responsible for throwing a water bottle at interim government adviser Mahfuz Alam while netizens on Bangladesh cyberspace and leaders of National Citizen Party (NCP) on Thursday strongly condemned the incident which took place in Dhaka’s Kakrail area.
Photo: Collected from Facebook
The incident occurred while Alam was addressing student protesters from Jagannath University regarding their ongoing demands. Social media users emphasised that while criticism is a democratic right, physical assault is an act of ‘barbarism’.
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, another advisor in the interim government, expressed dismay at the assault. “What happened to Mahfuz bhai left me disappointed,” he wrote. “He could have easily avoided the situation by saying ‘this is not under my ministry.’”
In his post, he elaborated: “We each have our responsibilities in the government. Beyond official duties, we often bear additional burdens. Still, we try to engage with students’ problems, protests, and demands. At times, we act as a bridge between ministries to seek resolutions.”
NCP leader Hasnat Abdullah noted that, while physically assaulting a state representative is unacceptable, the government’s behaviour has also raised questions. “As a state representative, Mahfuz Alam went to solve a problem— physically assaulting him is entirely unjustifiable,” he stated. “Let’s be clear: He came to you because you claim to represent the people. Such reckless and extreme behaviour will not lead to any positive outcomes, but rather, undermine the legitimacy of democratic movements. I do not know if Mahfuz Alam will take legal action, but the movement’s leadership should publicly apologise and ensure such disgraceful conduct is not repeated.”
Echoing this, NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain described the incident as an “attack” and condemned those who were celebrating it. On Facebook, he wrote, “I condemn the attackers as well as those who are rejoicing. The intention behind the attack is still unknown and must be investigated. There is no justification for this assault. The perpetrator must be brought to justice.
NCP’s chief northern organiser, Sarjis Alam, emphasised in a post that Mahfuz Alam is neither the education adviser nor linked to the institution responsible for the students’ demands. “Yet he went there as a representative of the student-public uprising. He came to you not from an office but on the streets. And the way he was treated is disgraceful. You should be holding the education secretary accountable for the unfulfilled commitments — not the person who came to listen to you.”
Sarjis added that a student representative had contacted him on Tuesday regarding the protests, and he had immediately informed Mahfuz Alam. “He scheduled a meeting with you at 9pm tonight and even offered to arrange a meeting with the education adviser tomorrow.
NCP’s southern chief organiser Hasnat Abdullah reiterated in another post, “Mahfuz Alam went there to resolve the issue. Assaulting him is not acceptable in any way. It should be remembered clearly —he came to you because you claim representation. Such extremist behaviour will not yield positive outcomes and will only question the legitimacy of democratic protest.
Calling for justice for the police action on Jagannath University protesters, NCP joint convenor Anik Roy also condemned the assault on Mahfuz Alam. “I strongly condemn the way the bottle was thrown at Mahfuz Alam. At the same time, I thank him for having the courage to come and speak directly with the students. Had the relevant ministry acted swiftly, today’s incident might have been avoided. I don’t believe an ordinary student did this. It seems more like sabotage from someone hiding within the crowd.”
Another joint convenor, Sarwar Tushar, wrote, “The political affiliation of Mahfuz Alam’s assailant should be investigated.”
The incident took place around 10pm on Wednesday, May 14, when students and teachers of Jagannath University were staging a protest with three major demands. As Mahfuz Alam addressed the gathering, someone from the crowd threw a water bottle at his head. He left the scene immediately without concluding his remarks.
