Widespread unrest has gripped Bangladesh following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a youth activist and political candidate, who died days after being shot during his election campaign in Dhaka.
Hadi, a prominent figure of the Inquilab Mancha movement, was attacked by masked gunmen last Friday while launching his campaign. He succumbed to his injuries in Singapore after nearly a week on life support.
News of his death sparked violent demonstrations in Dhaka and several other cities. Angry protesters set fire to the offices of leading newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, and blocked major roads, demanding swift justice for Hadi’s killing.
Authorities have deployed heavy police and paramilitary presence to control the situation, as tension remains high across the country. Firefighters later confirmed that the blaze at The Daily Star building had been contained.
In a televised address, Interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus described Hadi’s death as “an irreplaceable loss to the nation’s political and democratic sphere.” He urged citizens to remain calm and assured that a transparent investigation would be conducted.
Saturday has been declared a national day of mourning, with flags to fly at half-staff and prayers scheduled nationwide.
The violence comes just weeks before the February 12 national elections, the first since Yunus’s interim government took power in 2024 after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India.
Fresh anti-India protests have also resurfaced amid deteriorating relations between the two neighbors, as demonstrators accuse New Delhi of harboring Hasina.
Authorities have warned that continued unrest could threaten the country’s fragile political stability ahead of the polls.
