Overnight Unrest in Bangladesh After Youth Leader’s Death, Anti-India Protests Erupt

New Delhi: Bangladesh witnessed widespread unrest overnight following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth leader of the 2024 pro-democracy uprising, triggering violent protests and strong anti-India sentiment across several parts of the country.

Thousands of protesters poured onto the streets of Dhaka late Thursday night and early Friday, demanding justice for Hadi, who died in a Singapore hospital after succumbing to gunshot injuries sustained in an assassination attempt earlier this month. The protests quickly spread beyond the capital to cities including Rajshahi, Chittagong and Mymensingh.

Demonstrators attempted to march toward Indian diplomatic premises in multiple locations. In Rajshahi, protesters tried to advance toward the office of a regional Indian diplomat but were stopped by police. Videos circulating on social media showed incidents of stone pelting near the Indian Assistant High Commission office. In Dhaka, hundreds gathered near Indian diplomatic residences, including the home of India’s Deputy High Commissioner, prompting police to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Members of the National Citizen Party (NCP), an offshoot of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, joined the protests, raising slogans against India. Protest leaders alleged that the assailants involved in Hadi’s killing had fled to India and demanded their immediate return. Some leaders even called for the closure of the Indian High Commission until the suspects were handed over.

The unrest soon turned violent, with arson and vandalism reported across the capital. Several buildings were set on fire, including offices housing two of Bangladesh’s largest newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Fire officials confirmed at least three incidents of arson, with journalists and staff reportedly trapped inside as firefighters battled the flames.

Outside Dhaka, protesters torched an Awami League office in Rajshahi and vandalised properties linked to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India after being ousted last year. A key highway connecting Dhaka with Mymensingh was blocked, and a former minister’s residence in Chittagong was attacked.

Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, a senior leader of the student platform Inqilab Mancha, was shot by masked assailants on December 12 while leaving a mosque in central Dhaka. He was later airlifted to Singapore for treatment, where he died on Thursday.

Interim leader Muhammad Yunus described Hadi’s death as an “irreparable loss,” announced a day of mourning and ordered special prayers nationwide. Police have launched a nationwide manhunt, releasing photos of two suspects and announcing a reward of five-million-taka, warning that continued violence could destabilise Bangladesh’s fragile political transition.

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