Clash at Bangladesh Air Force in Cox's Bazar Leaves One Dead, Several Injured

Violence erupted after a dispute at a military checkpoint, with tensions linked to local opposition to an airport expansion project.

A local trader, Shihab Kabir, was killed and several others injured in a confrontation between residents and air force personnel in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on February 24, 2025.
The incident began when a motorcyclist was stopped at a military checkpoint for lacking proper documentation, leading to an altercation and a crowd of over 200 people advancing on the airbase.
The Bangladesh Air Force claims they fired blank rounds to disperse the crowd and denies using live ammunition, while social media and local reports allege the death resulted from gunfire.
The clash is tied to ongoing tensions over a government plan to expand the Cox's Bazar airport, which would require relocation of nearby residents, sparking protests in the area.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, faces challenges in maintaining order following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with a recent crackdown arresting over 8,000 individuals nationwide.