Dhaka, Dec 19: Violence broke out across Bangladesh on Thursday following the death of prominent youth protest leader Sharif Osman Hadi, triggering mass demonstrations, attacks on media offices, and a heavy security response by authorities.
Hadi, 32, died in a hospital in Singapore after succumbing to injuries sustained in a shooting in Dhaka last week, officials said. He was shot in the head by a masked assailant riding a motorbike on December 12 while leaving a mosque in the capital.
The news of his death sparked widespread protests in Dhaka and several other cities, with demonstrators demanding the arrest of those responsible. Protesters vandalised and set fire to the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, trapping journalists inside before firefighters rescued them. Troops were later deployed to restore order.
Police said hundreds of protesters gathered at multiple locations, carrying out attacks on buildings and vehicles. Tear gas was used to disperse crowds near the residence of India’s deputy ambassador in Dhaka, according to local media.
Hadi was a senior leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha and played a key role in the 2024 mass uprising that ended the 15-year rule of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August last year. He was preparing to contest the upcoming national election as an independent candidate and was known as a vocal critic of India.
Protests also erupted in Rajshahi, where demonstrators used a bulldozer to demolish a regional office of Hasina’s Awami League, as well as in the cities of Chattogram and Khulna.
Bangladeshi police said they have identified both the gunman and the motorbike driver and believe the suspects fled across the border into India. Authorities announced a reward of five million taka for information leading to their arrest, adding that several people have been detained and investigations are ongoing.
In a televised address, Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, described Hadi’s death as “an irreparable loss for the nation” and warned against attempts to destabilise the country.
“The country’s march toward democracy cannot be halted through fear, terror, or bloodshed,” Yunus said. He added that the attack appeared to be premeditated and aimed at derailing the upcoming election, stressing that “no form of violence intended to disrupt the election will be tolerated.”
The interim administration announced a day of national mourning on Saturday and called for special prayers at mosques nationwide. Political parties across the spectrum condemned the killing and urged authorities to bring those responsible to justice.
Sheikh Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh for more than a decade, was sentenced to death in November for crimes against humanity linked to the violent crackdown on protesters during the 2024 unrest, in which about 1,400 people were killed, according to official figures.
