BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday described the gun attack on Dhaka-8 independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi as a well-orchestrated conspiracy and called for exemplary punishment of the real perpetrators through a proper and impartial investigation.

Speaking at a protest rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, Rizvi said the attack was designed to falsely implicate BNP leaders.

“This is a planned conspiracy aimed at putting the blame on BNP. The actual miscreants must be identified and brought to justice through a fair and credible probe,” he said.

Rizvi said the attack on Hadi, along with a separate assault on BNP-nominated candidate Ershad Ullah in Chattogram-8 constituency, should not be viewed as isolated incidents. The rally was organised to protest both attacks and to demand swift justice.

He alleged that within one or two hours of the shooting, a motivated post appeared on social media making defamatory and objectionable remarks against BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas without any investigation.

“If guilt is determined on Facebook within such a short time, then what is the need for an investigation?” he asked.

The BNP leader noted that many influential political figures from different parties live in areas such as Shantinagar, Sajanpur and Khilgaon, yet none of them had ever been attacked. “Then why was Sharif Osman Hadi suddenly targeted?” he questioned.

Rizvi said Hadi had never spoken against Mirza Abbas or attacked him politically. “He spoke against injustice and against enemies of the country. Is becoming an independent candidate in Dhaka-8 his crime?” he asked.

He also criticised a recent social media post by a student leader, saying it was unacceptable to label a senior national leader without evidence.

Highlighting Mirza Abbas’s political career, Rizvi said there had been no allegations of violence against him in nearly five decades of politics.

“Even his political opponents say that although he may scold people, he has never harmed anyone. It is hard to believe that such a guardian-like figure would harm someone young enough to be his son,” he said.

Rizvi further said the Police Commissioner had informed the media that those involved in the attack had already been identified and that significant clues had been found.

“This is not BNP’s claim; it is the statement of a responsible state authority,” he added.

He alleged that a vested group had carefully planned the attack to frame BNP leaders. “This master plan is gradually becoming clear. The people understand it and the administration also knows who is behind this dangerous conspiracy,” he said.

Warning against disorder in the name of mob politics, Rizvi said, “Anarchy and mob violence can never establish good governance, justice or democracy.”