By Kritika Gangwar
Prominent youth leader, Sharif Osman Hadi was assassinated last week, resulting in violent protests in Bangladesh on Thursday. Protesters burnt down media houses and offices.
Inquilab Mancha– a student protest group– was led by him. The assassination occurred while he was campaigning for the national elections, which will be held in February, 2026. He was first shifted to a nearby hospital and then airlifted to Singapore where he was kept on life support for a few days. He eventually succumbed to death on Thursday.
Violent protests developed soon after the news broke. The protesters asked for justice, demonstrating slogans with Hadi’s name on them.
Images and videos circulated soon after the protests broke out across the country from various protest zones on social media. Videos depicted protesters lighting up the offices of Dhaka’s leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as the protesters believed these newspapers to be joined with India where Hasina is under exile. The journalists stuck inside these buildings urged the people to stop the violence.
Around 25 journalists were rescued after four hours as the firefighters were struggling with the crowd blocking the roads to the offices.
“We were lucky, we narrowly escaped a major disaster today. I don’t know where this country is headed,” a journalist stated to BD news 24 about the attack.
Saturday has been declared a day of mourning in honour of Hadi by the interim administration, with national flags to be flown at half mast and special prayers around the country.
The entrapped journalists were stuck on the roof, when attackers reached the roof and banged on the door, and they had to keep the door barricaded with plant tubs, enduring the horror for hours.
They were rescued by army personnels through the rear fire staircase exit.
Apart from these offices, the premises of the Bengali cultural organisation, Chhayanaut and the port city of Chittagong were also vanadalized. The house of Sheikh Mujibur, the country’s first president, and the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram were among the various parts across the country which were run over by protest groups.
Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh’s Chief adviser on Thursday night announced Sharif Osman Hadi’s death and promised the protesters swift action to catch the assassins , stating that, “no leniency will be shown”.