Protests erupt in Bangladesh after death of youth leader

New Delhi, Dec 19: Violent protests broke out across Bangladesh following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in the 2024 uprising that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hadi died at a hospital in Singapore late Thursday, a week after he was shot by masked attackers in Dhaka.

The unrest intensified overnight after news of his death emerged, with protesters vandalising and setting fire to the offices of two of the country’s leading newspapers.

Meanwhile, scattered protests continued on Friday, with demonstrators blocking roads in key parts of Dhaka.

Protesters were seen at several intersections, chanting slogans such as “Who are you, who am I, Hadi, Hadi” and calling for a “revolutionary government,” reports international media.

Police set up barricades across various roads in the capital to restrict traffic.

Hadi’s shooting last week had already triggered protests among his supporters, which escalated sharply after confirmation of his death.

He had been flown to Singapore for medical treatment following the attack.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who heads Bangladesh’s caretaker government, described Hadi’s death as “an irreparable loss for the nation”.

He urged mourners to remain patient and appealed for calm, cautioning against rash actions.

Earlier, Yunus had termed the shooting an attempt to “derail the election”.

Authorities have announced a day of national mourning on Saturday.

Condolences have poured in from political parties across the spectrum, many of which have demanded swift action and strict punishment for those responsible for the killing.

Hadi had been planning to contest the national elections scheduled for February as an independent candidate.

The polls, announced just a day before he was shot, will be Bangladesh’s first since Sheikh Hasina was forced out of office following massive student-led protests last year, which ended her 15-year rule.