Violence has spread across Bangladesh after a youth organization leader who was shot in Dhaka died during treatment. Sharif Usman Hadi (32), spokesperson of the group “Inquilab Mancha” and an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot by masked attackers on December 12 while campaigning in the Bijoynagar area. He suffered a serious head injury and was first treated in Dhaka before being flown to Singapore for advanced care. After six days on life support, he died due to brain and organ failure, triggering widespread unrest in the country. Soon after news of his death broke, thousands of protesters gathered near Dhaka University’s Shahbagh area late at night. Angry mobs vandalized and set fire to the offices of leading newspapers such as Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Protests also turned violent in cities like Chittagong and Rajshahi, where demonstrators attacked Indian diplomatic offices by throwing stones. In Rajshahi, protesters also set fire to the home of Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and offices of the Awami League party. Police were deployed in large numbers to control the situation, and security was tightened across major cities. India strongly condemned the attacks on its diplomatic missions and temporarily closed visa centers in Rajshahi and Khulna as a safety measure. The Indian Embassy advised Indian citizens in Bangladesh to remain indoors unless necessary. Bangladesh’s interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus called Hadi’s death an “irreparable loss,” appealed for calm, and announced a national day of mourning. He assured that those responsible would be brought to justice, as additional police and paramilitary forces have been deployed to restore order amid rising tension.
