A video circulating on social media shows former four-term MP Manjurul Ahsan Munshi telling voters at a late-night yard meeting in Debidwar that if his camp returns to power and locals back another party, he “won’t spare anyone,” even suggesting homes could be burned. The remarks, delivered while campaigning for an allied candidate, triggered swift controversy.
Munshi confirmed the authenticity of the clip but downplayed it as “just words,” citing fatigue after a long day of canvassing. He has been off the ballot this cycle after losing a court battle over loan-default allegations but remains active in the race supporting the truck symbol of an ally.
The seat (Comilla-4) features two prominent rival camps: the 11-party alliance’s contender Hasanat Abdullah—an organizer with the National Citizen Party (NCP), who posted the video from his verified account—and the candidate backed by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, after the BNP threw support behind a nominee from Gono Odhikar Parishad.
Local BNP figures distanced the party from Munshi’s phrasing, calling it his “personal” statement and acknowledging embarrassment over the rhetoric. Munshi, meanwhile, said his comment was an offhand appeal to loyalists near the end of a grueling campaign day.
The episode comes on the eve of Bangladesh’s Feb 12 general election and constitutional referendum, with parties urging calm and election authorities emphasizing a peaceful vote.