Bangladesh rocked by unrest after death of student leader

Police and paramilitary troops were deployed across Dhaka and other cities on Friday following a night of violent protests triggered by the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, as authorities warned of possible further unrest ahead of national elections scheduled for February 12.

Streets in the capital were largely calm in the morning, but residents voiced concern that tensions could flare again after Friday prayers. Security forces fanned out to sensitive areas, with officials seeking to prevent a repeat of overnight violence that saw attacks on media outlets, political offices, and cultural institutions.

Killing of a youth leader fuels protests
Hadi, 32, was a spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha (Platform for Revolution) and a prominent figure in the student-led protests that overthrew the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. He was shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka last Friday while launching his campaign for the upcoming elections.

After initial treatment at a local hospital, Hadi was transferred to Singapore for advanced medical care, where he died after six days on life support. An outspoken critic of India, Hadi was described by Inquilab Mancha as part of a “revolutionary cultural platform inspired by the spirit of uprising.”

His death sparked emotionally charged demonstrations, with protesters chanting his name, vowing to continue their movement, and demanding swift justice.

Media offices attacked, journalists targeted
In Dhaka, videos circulating on social media showed mobs vandalizing the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star late Thursday. A fire broke out at The Daily Star building but was brought under control, according to the fire service, which said firefighters rescued journalists trapped inside as troops secured the scene.

New Age editor Nurul Kabir, who also heads the Editors’ Council, was rushed by protesters outside The Daily Star premises. Videos showed him being pushed into a crowd, verbally abused as an “Awami League collaborator,” and having his hair pulled.

The Awami League (AL) is a major, historically dominant political party in Bangladesh, founded in 1949, that led the country’s independence movement from Pakistan under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, but it was banned in May 2025 by an interim government following large protests against its long rule and human rights abuses, with its leader, Hasina.
Pressure on interim government ahead of elections
Bangladesh has been governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since August 2024, after Hasina fled to India following a student-led uprising. The government has faced mounting pressure over delayed reforms, alongside warnings of unrest from Hasina’s Awami League, which has been barred from participating in the vote.

In a televised address following Hadi’s death, Yunus said, “His passing represents an irreplaceable loss to the nation’s political and democratic sphere.”

He urged calm, pledged a transparent investigation, and warned that violence would undermine the path toward credible elections.

The interim administration declared Saturday a day of state mourning in Hadi’s honor, ordering national flags flown at half-mast and special prayers held nationwide.

Widening unrest, anti-India protests
Violence and vandalism were reported across several cities. The home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s first president and Hasina’s father, was vandalized and set on fire again after earlier attacks in February and August last year. In Dhaka, the premises of the cultural organization Chhayanaut were torched, while in Rajshahi, protesters demolished an Awami League office using a bulldozer. Demonstrators also blocked major highways in multiple districts.

In the port city of Chittagong, protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission and set fire to a house belonging to a former Awami League education minister.

The unrest follows renewed anti-India protests earlier in the week, as relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have deteriorated since Hasina fled to India. On Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators under the banner “July Oikya” (July Unity) marched toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, chanting anti-India slogans and demanding Hasina’s extradition.