Widespread unrest broke out across Bangladesh’s capital in the early hours of Friday following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s pro-democracy movement, who succumbed to his injuries in a Singapore hospital after an assassination attempt.
The death of the 32-year-old activist triggered massive protests in Dhaka, with thousands taking to the streets demanding swift arrests and justice. As tensions escalated, several buildings were torched, including offices housing two of the country’s most influential newspapers, leaving journalists and staff briefly trapped inside, officials said.
Hadi, a senior leader of the student-led platform Inqilab Mancha, was shot by unidentified assailants on December 12 while leaving a mosque in Dhaka. He was initially treated in Bangladesh before being flown to Singapore in critical condition, where he died on Thursday. Authorities reported multiple incidents of arson across the capital as news of his death spread.
In Chattogram, protesters allegedly targeted the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner around 1:30 am, pelting the premises with bricks and stones. No damage was reported. Police dispersed the crowd using tear gas and baton charges, detaining at least 12 people. Senior officials later assured the diplomat of adequate security.
Fires were reported at buildings housing the English daily The Daily Star and the Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo. Both publications have previously faced protests from groups accusing them of being sympathetic to India, where former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has been living in self-imposed exile since being removed from power during last year’s uprising.
Firefighters managed to control the blaze at The Daily Star office by around 1:40 am local time, though several employees were still inside the building when the fire broke out. All staff were later evacuated safely.
Journalists recounted harrowing scenes from inside the burning newsroom. Daily Star reporter Zyma Islam wrote on Facebook that she was struggling to breathe amid heavy smoke. Another reporter, Ahmed Deepto, said staff had taken shelter at the back of the building as protesters chanted slogans outside.
Elsewhere in Dhaka, the residence of former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, who served in the ousted Awami League government, was vandalised and set ablaze, according to local media reports. In the northwestern city of Rajshahi, protesters used an excavator to demolish an Awami League office, demanding the arrest of those behind Hadi’s killing.
Protests were also reported at Chhayanaut, a renowned cultural institution dedicated to Bengali heritage, while demonstrators blocked a major highway leading out of the capital, further disrupting movement as anger over Hadi’s death continued to mount.
