Violence Erupts in Bangladesh After Killing of Youth Leader

Bangladesh has once again been swept into unrest following the death of a prominent youth protest leader, with demonstrations spilling onto the streets, attacks on major media organisations, and a visible increase in security across the capital.

The violence was sparked by the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a 32-year-old activist closely associated with the student-led uprising that ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Hadi died last week in a Singapore hospital after succumbing to gunshot injuries sustained in an attack in Dhaka.

Media reports indicate the shooting occurred on 12 December when two assailants on a motorcycle pulled alongside the battery-powered auto-rickshaw Hadi was travelling in and shot him in the head. He was initially rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors diagnosed extensive brain stem damage. As his condition worsened, he was transferred to Singapore General Hospital on 15 December and placed in intensive care. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed his death despite extensive medical efforts.

Hadi’s death has reverberated far beyond his immediate supporters. As a spokesperson for the student platform Inqilab Mancha (or Platform for Revolution), he had become a prominent voice of the 2024 movement and was preparing to contest the Dhaka-8 constituency in the next general election, expected in February 2026. The election date had been announced just a day before he was shot, giving his killing added political significance.

These elections are being closely watched as a crucial test of Bangladesh’s democratic transition. They will be the first since Hasina was removed from power, ending 15 years of increasingly authoritarian rule. The caretaker government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has sought to restore transparency and calm, contrasting with Hasina’s centralized style of governance. How the elections are conducted, and whether they are perceived as free and fair, could determine political stability and whether democratic reforms can take root after a turbulent period.

News of Hadi’s death triggered immediate protests across Dhaka, which quickly escalated overnight. Demonstrators vandalised and set fire to the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, two of the country’s most influential newspapers. Firefighters and military personnel were deployed to rescue journalists trapped inside burning buildings, forcing both outlets to suspend operations. Observers described the scale of the attacks as unprecedented in recent history.

The targeting of the media has heightened concerns about press freedom and public safety. Witnesses reported minimal police presence at some affected sites as crowds gathered outside damaged buildings. By Friday morning, protests continued in parts of the capital, with roads blocked, barricades erected, and demonstrators chanting slogans calling for systemic political change.

The unrest has also taken a deadly turn beyond Dhaka. Local media reported that a child was killed and three others critically injured on Saturday when the home of a Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila was allegedly locked from the outside and set on fire. According to police, the attack occurred in the early hours at the residence of Belal Hossain, a businessman and BNP assistant organising secretary. Hossain’s seven-year-old daughter, Ayesha Akter, died in the blaze, while his two other daughters, 16-year-old Salma Akter and 14-year-old Samia Akter, sustained critical burn injuries. Belal Hossain is being treated locally, while his daughters have been transferred to Dhaka for advanced medical care.

What does this mean for the region?

The unrest carries wider regional implications. Bangladesh’s position between India and Myanmar means sustained instability could disrupt trade corridors, affect shipping routes, and strain diplomatic relations with neighbouring states. Supply chains, particularly in the garment and manufacturing sectors, could face interruptions, and political volatility may create openings for external actors to influence regional security dynamics.

Authorities have announced a National Day of Mourning on Saturday. Hadi’s body is expected to return to Dhaka later today, to be taken to Dhaka University’s central mosque for funeral rites.

International response

International attention has also been drawn to the crisis. UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Hadi’s killing and urged the authorities to conduct “a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation, in line with international human rights standards,” while calling for restraint. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk similarly expressed that he was “deeply troubled” by the youth leader’s death.

From exile in India, Sheikh Hasina commented on the unrest in an interview with Indian news agency ANI, saying Hadi’s killing highlighted a breakdown in law and order under the caretaker administration. She warned that continued instability could weaken Bangladesh internally and strain relations with neighbouring countries, particularly India.

Hasina remains a deeply polarising figure. In November, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for crimes against humanity linked to the suppression of protests during the July–August 2024 uprising. The tribunal found her guilty on multiple counts, including ordering lethal force and failing to prevent atrocities. Its judgment cited secretly recorded phone calls in which she allegedly instructed security forces to shoot protesters.

Forced into exile in August 2024 after 15 years in power, Hasina left behind a country struggling to restore order. For the interim authorities under Yunus, pursuing accountability for past abuses has been both a political priority and a symbolic marker of transition.

The killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, and the violence that has followed, has placed Bangladesh at another delicate crossroads. With elections approaching and public trust still fragile, the coming weeks will test whether the country can navigate grief, justice, and dissent without tipping further into instability.

 Banner Image - Protest after the funeral of Osman Hadi at Shahbag. Image credits - Wasiul Bahar Wikimedia.

Asia Media Centre