Overnight unrest erupted in an already unstable Bangladesh after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth leader of the country’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising. Thousands took to the streets of the country’s capital, Dhaka, on Thursday and early Friday, demanding justice for the slain activist.
Hadi died in a hospital in Singapore after succumbing to gunshot injuries sustained in an assassination attempt last week. Violent demonstrations rapidly spread from Dhaka to other parts of the country, with protesters raising “anti-India” slogans.
Some even marched toward the Indian diplomatic premises and attacked properties linked to the former ruling Awami League. Protesters in the southwestern city of Rajshahi tried to march toward the office of a regional Indian diplomat. However, the Bangladeshi police soon stopped the procession.
Videos of the unrest spread like wildfire online, with protesters seen pelting stones near the Indian Assistant High Commission office. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, hundreds conducted a demonstration in Dhaka and attempted to gather outside the Indian diplomatic premises.
‘We are in a war’
The demonstrations in the capital prompted local authorities to use tear gas to disperse the crowd. In the midst of all this, members of the National Citizen Party (NCP), a major offshoot of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), which led last year’s protests, joined the demonstrations, chanting anti-India slogans.
The party alleged that Hadi’s assailants had fled to India after the killing. The protesters called on the interim government to shut down the Indian High Commission until the suspects were returned.
“The interim government, until India returns assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh will remain closed. Now or Never. We are in a war!” PTI quoted Sarjis Alm, a key leader of NCP, saying.
Awami League office and media houses targeted
In the recent overnight protests, several buildings in the capital were set ablaze by the demonstrators. This included the offices housing the country’s two largest newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Fire officials confirmed that at least three instances of arson were reported in the capital.
Journalists and staff were trapped inside the buildings as firefighters battled through the flames. “Several hundred demonstrators reached the Prothom Alo office around 11 pm and later surrounded the building,” PTI quoted a witness, who added that the protesters then set the Daily Star office on fire.
Meanwhile, the riot-like situation soon spread beyond the capital with protesters torching an Awami League office in Rajshahi and vandalising properties linked to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The erstwhile Bangladeshi premier fled to India after her government was toppled due to last year’s protests.
Demonstrators also blocked a key highway connecting Dhaka with Mymensingh and attacked the residence of a former minister in the southeastern city of Chittagong, PTI reported. India is yet to respond to the recent clashes in the neighbouring state.
