A lawmaker from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was besieged inside a mosque and his vehicle was vandalized during an attack in Netrokona district on Friday evening.
Member of Parliament for the Netrokona-5 constituency, Masum Mostafa, was eventually rescued by local administration and police following a tense half-hour standoff.
The incident occurred near a petrol pump in Atkapara area along the Birishiri road.
According to the MP's assistant, Al Amin Talukder, Mostafa was en route to inaugurate a local madrasa when his vehicle stopped for fuel. As the call for the evening Maghrib prayer sounded, the lawmaker entered an adjacent mosque. Moments later, a mob descended on his vehicle.
"While praying, we heard the loud crashing sounds of our car being smashed," Talukder recounted. He alleged that local activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) then advanced toward the mosque to attack the MP.
In response, fellow worshippers quickly locked the mosque doors to protect him, leaving the lawmaker and his entourage besieged.
Local police initially present at the scene struggled to control the situation until the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) dispatched additional forces to escort the MP to safety in a government vehicle.
In the recent 13th National Election, Mostafa secured the parliamentary seat with 82,177 votes, narrowly defeating his closest rival, local BNP President Abu Taher Talukder, who received 79,412 votes.
Responding to the allegations, BNP leader denied any involvement from his faction, stating that while he had heard about the incident, he was certain his party workers were not responsible.
Netrokona Superintendent of Police Md Tariqul Islam confirmed the rescue of the lawmaker and stated that a police operation is currently underway to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the district unit of Jamaat-e-Islami issued a strong statement condemning the attack, demanding immediate and strict legal action against those involved in targeting their elected representative.
