Violent protests swept across several cities in Bangladesh overnight following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a radical political leader whose killing has intensified an already volatile political climate ahead of the country’s February elections.
Hadi, 32, a spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha platform and a candidate in the upcoming general elections, died in a Singapore hospital after being shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka last week while launching his election campaign. News of his death triggered widespread unrest, particularly in the capital.
Sharif Osman Hadi
Media Houses Attacked, Journalists Trapped
As protests escalated in Dhaka, multiple buildings were set on fire, including offices housing Bangladesh’s leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. According to authorities, staff members were trapped inside the buildings during the blaze, forcing emergency services to intervene. The fire service later said the fire at The Daily Star office was brought under control.
Demonstrators chanted slogans invoking Hadi’s name and vowed to continue agitation until those responsible for the killing are arrested. Several neighbourhoods remained tense late into the night as police and paramilitary forces were deployed to prevent further violence.
ALSO READ: GPS-fitted seagull found on Karnataka coast, contact details trace back to Chinese research academy
Violence was also reported in other parts of the country. In Chittagong, protesters gathered outside the Indian Assistant High Commission, raising anti-India slogans. In Rajshahi, demonstrators set fire to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence and an Awami League office, causing extensive damage.
The unrest follows a series of anti-India protests in recent days, with bilateral relations deteriorating since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India after the 2024 student-led uprising.
India Responds Amid Rising Anti-India Rhetoric
Earlier this week, India summoned Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, Muhammad Riaz Hamidullah, to lodge a diplomatic protest over threats to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and inflammatory statements by Bangladeshi political leaders.
Indian authorities rejected what they described as a false narrative being pushed by extremist elements linking India to the attack on Hadi. The Indian High Commission in Dhaka also issued an advisory urging Indian nationals to avoid local travel and limit movement outside their residences.
Yunus Appeals for Calm, State Mourning Announced
In a televised address following Hadi’s death, Bangladesh’s interim chief Muhammad Yunus described his passing as an “irreplaceable loss” to the country’s political and democratic landscape. Urging restraint, Yunus warned that continued violence could undermine the credibility of the forthcoming election.
The interim administration has declared a day of state mourning in Hadi’s honour, with national flags flown at half-mast and special prayers planned nationwide.
Police have launched a manhunt for the attackers, releasing images of two suspects and announcing a reward of five million taka for information leading to their arrest. Authorities said the killing appeared to be a premeditated attack aimed at destabilising the electoral process.
Bangladesh, currently governed by an interim administration since August 2024, is scheduled to go to the polls on February 12, with parliamentary elections and a referendum on a major democratic reform package to be held the same day.
