Bangladesh witnessed widespread violence and unrest on Friday following the death of youth leader Osman Hadi, who succumbed to gunshot injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore. Hadi was shot last week in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area while initiating his election campaign, an incident that has now triggered a wave of protests across the country.
Soon after news of Hadi’s death broke, angry mobs poured onto the streets in several cities, setting ablaze vehicles, vandalising public infrastructure, and attacking private properties. In Rajshahi, protesters used a bulldozer to demolish a local office of the ruling Awami League, reducing the building to rubble amid slogans and clashes.
The unrest also took a serious turn against the media. Protesters set fire to the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, Bangladesh’s two leading newspapers. At The Daily Star’s Dhaka office, a mob stormed the premises, trapping journalists inside. As many as 25 journalists were later rescued more than four hours after the attack, raising grave concerns over press freedom and the safety of media personnel in the country.
In another alarming development, demonstrators allegedly staged a protest outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram, prompting heightened security and diplomatic attention, though no official damage was immediately reported.
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, expressed deep anguish over Osman Hadi’s death and the subsequent violence. He declared Saturday a national day of mourning and convened a high-level meeting to review the rapidly deteriorating law-and-order situation. Authorities have appealed for calm while deploying additional security forces in sensitive areas.
According to a Facebook post by Inquilab Mancha, the body of slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka by Friday evening. Hadi’s family is set to depart Singapore with his body at 3:50 pm, with arrival in Bangladesh expected around 6 pm. Inquilab Manch further stated that Hadi’s main funeral prayers will be held in Dhaka on Saturday after Zohr at Manik Mia Avenue.
As Bangladesh grapples with mounting tensions, the killing of Osman Hadi has once again highlighted the volatile political climate in the country, with calls growing for a transparent investigation into the shooting and accountability for the violence that followed.
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