Protests spread across Bangladesh demanding justice for slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, with buildings attacked and tensions rising
DHAKA: Protests erupted across Bangladesh for a second day on Friday demanding the arrest of the killers of a key student leader from last year’s pro-democracy uprising.
Crowds took to the streets in mourning and anger after news spread that 32-year-old Sharif Osman Hadi died in a Singapore hospital on Thursday.
Several buildings were vandalised, including the offices of media outlets perceived to favour India, the old ally of Bangladesh’s ousted leadership.
Hadi, a staunch critic of India, was shot by masked gunmen while leaving a mosque in Dhaka last week and later succumbed to his wounds.
In Dhaka, protester Sajid Al Adeeb told AFP that “people have gathered here demanding the swift arrest of those who killed Hadi.”
The 20-year-old student claimed the killers were “currently in India,” a claim which New Delhi has not commented on.
“I urge the government to take immediate and appropriate steps to arrest those responsible,” the protester added.
Al Adeeb was among thousands chanting slogans and demanding justice for Hadi, who was due to run in elections planned for next year.
Protests were also held in the cities of Gazipur, Sylhet and Chattogram.
Late Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star.
Critics accuse the publications of favouring neighbouring India, where ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing in 2024.
Staff trapped in the Daily Star newsroom said the building filled with smoke before firefighters brought the blaze under control.
Sajjad Sharif, executive editor at Prothom Alo, called it “an attack on freedom of the press, expression, dissent and diversity of opinion”.
The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus condemned the vandalism and urged citizens to resist mob violence.
“This is a critical moment in our nation’s history when we are making a historic democratic transition,” a government statement said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to ensure the safety of news outlets and hold those responsible accountable.
Protesters also blocked a major highway and attacked a former minister’s residence, according to local television footage.
On Wednesday, protesters demanding Hasina’s return marched toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.
Hadi was a leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha and was running for parliament in the February 2026 national election.
Bangladeshi police launched a manhunt, releasing photographs of two key suspects and offering a reward for information.
Special Friday prayers were held across mosques, and Saturday was declared an official day of mourning. – AFP
