Violence erupts in Bangladesh following the death of an injured young leader.
Violence erupted in Bangladesh’s capital early Friday following the death of a student leader from the country’s 2024 pro-democracy movement, who succumbed to injuries sustained in an assassination attempt while hospitalized in Singapore.
Thousands of demonstrators flooded the streets of Dhaka following the announcement of the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, to demand the apprehension of his murderers.
Authorities said that multiple structures in the city, including the offices of the nation’s two foremost newspapers, were ignited, leaving personnel confined within.
Hadi was a pivotal role in last year’s insurrection that terminated the dictatorial regime of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, prompting her to seek refuge in India. He was campaigning for a parliamentary position in the national election scheduled for February 2026.
On December 12, Hadi was shot by masked gunmen while exiting a mosque in Dhaka. He was evacuated to a hospital in Singapore for treatment, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.
Following the dissemination of news regarding his death early Friday, a representative for the Fire Brigade and Civil Defence unit informed AFP that at least three instances of arson were reported in Dhaka, including a fire at the Daily Star building and another at the Prothom Alo newspaper’s premises.
The two publications are the most prominent in the South Asian nation; nonetheless, demonstrators have said that they are affiliated with neighboring India, where Hasina has sought asylum.
Zyma Islam, a journalist for the Daily Star, reported that she got ensnared within the conflagrating structure.
“I am unable to breathe any longer.” Excessive smoke is present. I am indoors. “You are causing me distress,” she posted on her Facebook site.
Firefighting officials reported that the blaze at the Daily Star building was extinguished by 1:40 am (2040 GMT).
Nevertheless, 27 staff remained inside.
“We sought shelter at the back of the building and could hear them chanting slogans,” Ahmed Deepto, a Star reporter, informed AFP, referring to the demonstrators.
The residence of India’s deputy ambassador to Bangladesh was encircled by hundreds of individuals attempting to stage a sit-in; however, law enforcement deployed tear gas canisters to disperse the assembly, as reported by local news outlets.
Moreover, demonstrators obstructed a vital route connecting the city and assaulted the mansion of a former minister in Chittagong, located in the southeastern region of the country, as depicted in footage broadcasted on local media.
Demonstrators also assaulted Chhayanaut, a center in Dhaka dedicated to Bengali culture.
- ‘An irrevocable loss to the nation’ –
On Friday, Singaporean officials reported the death of Hadi in a nearby hospital.
“Despite the doctors’ utmost efforts, Mr. Hadi succumbed to his injuries,” stated Singapore’s foreign affairs ministry, noting that it is aiding Bangladeshi authorities in repatriating his remains.
The interim government of Dhaka, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has verified Hadi’s demise.
“His passing represents an irrevocable loss for the nation,” Yunus stated in a televised address.
“The nation’s progression towards democracy cannot be impeded by fear, terror, or violence.”
The administration announced designated prayers at mosques on Friday and a half-day of mourning on Saturday.
Hadi, a prominent leader of the student protest organization Inqilab Mancha, was a vocal adversary of India, where Hasina continues to reside in self-imposed exile.
SEARCH FOR FIREARMS-ASSAILANTS
The Bangladeshi police have initiated a manhunt for Hadi’s assailants, disseminating images of two primary suspects and providing a reward of five million taka (about $42,000) for information that results in their apprehension.
Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has been guiding Bangladesh until the February 12 poll, has characterized the shooting as a deliberate assault orchestrated by a formidable network intent on undermining the electoral process.
Predominantly Muslim Bangladesh, a country with a population of 170 million, will conduct direct elections for 300 parliamentary representatives, while an additional 50 will be appointed from a women’s list.
The January 2024 elections resulted in Hasina securing a fourth consecutive term and her Awami League obtaining 222 seats, while opposition parties condemned the process as fraudulent.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), under the leadership of three-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is anticipated to secure victory in the forthcoming election.
Zia is currently in urgent care in Dhaka, while her son and political successor, Tarique Rahman, is scheduled to return from exile in Britain after 17 years on December 25.