Mass protests have erupted in the Bangladeshi capital after the death of young political activist Sharif Osman Hadi, who died in a Singapore hospital from injuries sustained during an assassination attempt in Dhaka on December 12.
Hadi, 32, was one of the leaders of anti-government protests in 2024. He spoke out against Indian influence in Bangladesh's domestic politics.
When news of Hadi's death broke, thousands took to the streets of Dhaka and other cities across the country. They accused the authorities of failing to protect the young politician. They threw stones at the residence of an Indian diplomat.
Security forces evacuated 25 journalists who were trapped in the offices of the Daily Star and Prothom Alo newspapers, which were set on fire, the India Today television channel reported.
The head of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, addressed the crowd and appealed for calm. He declared December 20 a day of national mourning for Hadi's death. Yunus also promised that those responsible for his murder would be found and punished. Bangladeshi security forces were put on high alert.
In July 2024, Bangladesh was gripped by anti-government protests, in which students, dissatisfied with high unemployment and lack of economic prospects, actively participated. The unrest and clashes between protesters and police led to the deaths of an estimated 1,400 people. On August 5, 2024, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had been in power for the past 20 years, resigned and fled to India. Since then, the country has been governed by an interim government led by Yunus.
On December 17, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned Riaz Hamidullah, the Bangladeshi ambassador to New Delhi, and expressed serious concern about the plans of some extremist elements to threaten the security of the Indian diplomatic mission in Dhaka. They announced their intention to hold a protest called the “March to the Indian Embassy“. After that, the Indian authorities closed the visa centers not only in Dhaka but also in the cities of Khulna and Rajshahi.