Protests escalate in Bangladesh after death of student leader Hadi 

Demonstrators gathered throughout Bangladesh for a second consecutive day demanding justice for Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s pro-democracy movement who died Thursday in a Singapore hospital after being shot by masked gunmen.

The 32-year-old student leader, an outspoken critic of India, was attacked while exiting a mosque in Dhaka last week. As news of his death spread, mourning quickly transformed into public outrage on Friday.

Several buildings were vandalised, including offices of media organisations perceived as sympathetic to India – the longtime ally of Bangladesh’s recently overthrown leadership.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in exile in India, was recently sentenced to death in absentia over last year’s deadly crackdown against a student-led uprising.

“People have gathered here demanding the swift arrest of those who killed Hadi,” 20-year-old student protester Sajid Al Adeeb told the AFP news agency in Dhaka on Friday. He claimed the perpetrators were “currently in India”, an allegation New Delhi has not addressed.

“I urge the government to take immediate and appropriate steps to arrest those responsible,” he added. “Above all, I want Hadi’s ideals to live on.”

Thousands joined the demonstrations in Dhaka, carrying national flags and placards while chanting demands for justice. Similar protests occurred in Gazipur, Sylhet, and Chattogram.

Thursday night saw protesters set fire to several Dhaka buildings, including the offices of prominent newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star. Critics accuse these publications of favouring India, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought refuge after fleeing during the 2024 uprising.

Staff trapped in the Daily Star building reported dangerous conditions. “I can’t breathe any more… You are killing me,” reporter Zyma Islam wrote on Facebook before firefighters rescued employees.

Prothom Alo’s executive editor Sajjad Sharif condemned the incident as “an attack on freedom of the press, expression, dissent and diversity of opinion”.

The interim government, led by 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, reached out to both newspapers’ editors and denounced the vandalism. Officials urged citizens to resist mob violence perpetrated by “fringe elements”.

“This is a critical moment in our nation’s history when we are making a historic democratic transition,” a government statement declared. “We cannot and must not allow it to be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists called on authorities to ensure media safety and accountability for those responsible.

Protesters had previously marched towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka on Wednesday, reflecting deteriorating relations between the neighbouring countries since Hasina’s government collapsed.

Hadi, who led the student protest group Inqilab Moncho, had planned to run for parliament in the February 2026 national election. Police have launched a manhunt for his killers, releasing photographs of key suspects and offering a reward for information.

Special prayers were held in mosques nationwide, and Saturday was designated an official day of mourning for the slain student leader.