Gono Odhikar Parishad (GOP) President Nurul Haque Nur has alleged that he was the target of a planned assassination attempt during the attack in front of his party’s central office last August 29 that left him seriously injured.

Speaking to the media on Saturday evening upon his return from Singapore, where he went for advanced treatment, Nur claimed that he along with GOP leaders and activists, were ‘intentionally attacked without provocation.’

Due to the serious condition of his health in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and later travelling to Singapore, these were his first comments to the media on the incident, that triggered a firestorm of debate and criticism in mainstream and social media.

Nur further alleged that members of law enforcement, including the police and army, carried out the assault using batons and sticks - although this was almost unanimously acknowledged from the start thanks to videos that went viral on various platforms.

“Senior police and army officials later claimed that there was no order for such an operation,” Nur said. “If that is true, I urge the police and army authorities to conduct an impartial investigation into this barbaric attack and bring those responsible to justice.”

Describing the incident as more brutal than anything he had experienced under previous regimes, Nur said, “Even during fascist times, we didn’t face such a savage assault. So, it was clearly a targeted attack.”

He urged all political parties to raise their voices against the incident to ensure that no one, regardless of political affiliation, becomes a victim of such violence.

Nur was flown to Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on September 22 for advanced medical treatment following the incident, which left over 100 GOP leaders and activists injured.