Dhaka, Dec. 14 -- The bullet that struck Sharif Osman bin Hadi has ignited fears across Bangladesh as the aftermath of the national election schedule announcement laid bare deep concerns over candidates and public safety.

The attack on the Inqilab Moncho convenor and prospective Dhaka-8 candidate exposes stark security weaknesses and casts a shadow over the nation's preparations for the general elections, revealing that the path to the ballot box is fraught with danger for both leaders and the public they seek to represent.

For a country accustomed to tense electoral campaigns, the incident has prompted urgent deliberations on safeguarding frontline July protesters and prospective parliamentary candidates.

While personal security arran...