Protests and violence erupted across Bangladesh late Thursday night after Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi died, succumbing to gunshot injuries from an attack on December 12. He was shot in the head in the Purana Paltan area of the capital.
Hadi was being considered as a potential candidate for the upcoming national election. The outfit, Inqilab Mancha, was formed in the wake of the 2024 anti-establishment protests in Bangladesh, which toppled the reign of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who then fled to India.
What Happened to Hadi?
A motorbike-borne assailant reportedly opened fire at Hadi when he was travelling in a battery-powered rickshaw to conduct electioneering.
He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), but was later transferred to a hospital in Singapore for better treatment. According to a report in Dhaka Tribune, Hadi’s condition was critical and he passed away at 9:45 pm on December 18.
Who is Behind the Attack?
The law enforcement authorities have identified the person who fired at Hadi as Faisal Karim Masud and the motorcycle driver as Alamgir Sheikh, reported Prothom Alo. The report also added that 14 people, including Masud’s parents and wife, were arrested in connection with the incident, as of Friday afternoon.
State Mourning Announced for Hadi; Political Parties Express Condolences
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has declared one-day state mourning on Saturday, December 20. The national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions, educational establishments, private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad.
Special prayers will also be offered at mosques after the Friday prayers and similar observances will be held at churches, temples, and other places of worship.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), National Citizen Party (NCP), and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expressed condolences.
Referring to the July uprising, BNP wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Hadi was a courageous political activist and a fearless voice against injustice. Following the July uprising, as the spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, he played a significant role in defending the rights of July’s fighters, upholding democratic values, and safeguarding national interests.”
Protests, Vandalism, and Arson
The offices of dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were vandalised, attacked, and set ablaze late on Thursday night. The protesters, reportedly carrying sticks and rods, vandalised the buildings and some entered the offices around midnight. Reportedly furniture from these offices was also set on fire in the street.
A Prothom Alo journalist said many reporters and staff were trapped inside the office, with extreme tension prevailing in the area.
Prothom Alo, also a member of Asian Dispatch, put out a statement Friday morning, explaining to readers that they were unable to publish the print edition and operate normally due to the attack.
“We are working to restore the damaged technical systems as quickly as possible and will resume publication of Prothom Alo in print and online at the earliest,” the note on the website read.
The building of the cultural organisation Chhayanaut in Dhanmondi area was also set on fire in the early hours of Friday as violence continues to spread across. Protesters, reportedly, continue to block the Shahbagh intersection in the capital chanting slogan for Hadi.