The deceased, Maulana Md Rezaul Karim, 42, was the secretary of Jamaat’s Sreebordi Upazila unit in Sherpur district. He succumbed to his injuries at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) around 9:45 pm, according to Nuruzzaman Badal, Jamaat’s candidate from the Sherpur-3 constituency (Jhenaigati–Sreebordi).

The violence erupted around 3:00 pm at the Jhenaigati Upazila Mini Stadium, where the local administration had organised a programme allowing candidates to present their electoral manifestos to voters. Supporters of BNP and Jamaat clashed over front-row seating arrangements, which quickly escalated into physical violence.

According to local officials and witnesses, at least 65 people were injured in the confrontation. Around 45 injured individuals were taken to the Jhenaigati Upazila Health Complex, where 25 were admitted and 20 received first aid. Another 20 injured were admitted to Sherpur General Hospital. Rezaul Karim, along with Jamaat supporters Aminul Islam and Maulana Tahirul Islam, was referred to MMCH due to the severity of their injuries. While Rezaul died later in the evening, Tahirul Islam was transferred to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Eyewitnesses reported widespread vandalism during the clash, with several motorcycles damaged and more than 100 chairs broken. In a social media post, Jamaat candidate Nuruzzaman alleged that BNP supporters arrived late and attacked Jamaat activists using locally made weapons after an argument over seating. BNP candidate Mahmudul Haque Rubel, however, denied the allegation, accusing Jamaat supporters of provoking the violence. Both sides traded counter-claims as tensions simmered in the district.

Sherpur Superintendent of Police Md Kamrul Islam said law enforcement personnel intervened promptly to restore order and additional forces were deployed to prevent further unrest. As of early Thursday, no formal case had been filed.

Rezaul Karim’s death sparked protests in Dhaka, with students at Dhaka University and Jagannath University holding separate processions condemning the violence. Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the suspension of the party’s 41-member Sherpur district convening committee, pending further review.

The incident has heightened concerns over election-related violence as Bangladesh moves closer to the polls.