Streets in the capital and surrounding areas have erupted into violent confrontations as mourners and protesters clash with security forces following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a well known student leader from the 2024 uprising. Hadi died on December 18 in a Singapore hospital after sustaining gunshot injuries, triggering renewed anger among young protesters who had helped overthrow the previous government last year. Demonstrators set fire to media offices and shouted slogans condemning what they see as foreign interference.

Hadi rose to prominence as the vocal face of Inqilab Mancha, the student movement whose opposition to job reservation policies escalated into a nationwide revolt that forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power. On December 12, while campaigning ahead of the February 2026 elections, he was shot in the head by masked attackers in Dhaka. He was flown to Singapore for treatment but died after spending a week on life support, a loss interim leader Muhammad Yunus described as devastating for the nation’s democratic future.

As news of his death spread, angry crowds gathered at Dhaka University, Shahbagh, and other key locations, pelting stones, damaging property, and burning offices linked to major newspapers. Protesters chanted anti India slogans, intensifying claims of outside involvement in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. Police fired tear gas, made arrests, and detained more than 20 suspects, while authorities announced a reward of five million taka for information leading to the attackers, whom they believe are part of a powerful organized network.

In a televised address, Yunus appealed for calm, stressing the need to safeguard the upcoming elections and pledging a thorough investigation into Hadi’s killing. Political parties expressed condolences, but the unrest has reopened wounds from the deadly 2024 protests that left hundreds dead and resulted in Hasina’s exile and later death sentence. With economic strain already weighing on the country, the latest violence raises fears of further instability if accountability is delayed.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from The Indian Express.