DHAKA: The body of a popular student leader who was assassinated returned home to Bangladesh on Friday, as the country’s interim government urged people to resist violence as protests erupted across Dhaka and other cities.
In a post on X, the interim administration wrote that a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Sharif Osman Hadi’s remains landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 5:48pm local time (4:48pm PKT) after departing from Singapore, where he was undergoing medical treatment.
Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, the youth leader who died, was a spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha (Platform for Revolution) and participated in the protests that overthrew Hasina. He was shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka last Friday while launching his election campaign.
Hadi, an outspoken critic of India, was initially treated at a local hospital before being flown to Singapore for advanced medical care, where he died after spending six days on life support.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy in Dhaka stated in a post on X that Hadi’s funeral prayers will be held after Zohar prayers around 2pm in front of the National Parliament building on Manik Mia Avenue.
“Extremely heavy traffic is expected in the area and throughout Dhaka. US citizens should practice vigilance and remember that gatherings intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence,” the post warned.
“ You should avoid demonstrations and exercise caution in the vicinity of any large gatherings. ”
Although calm had returned to much of the country on Friday morning, protesters carrying national flags and placards continued demonstrating at Shahbagh in central Dhaka, chanting slogans and vowing not to return until justice was served.
Residents in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation of 173 million said they were worried there could be fresh violence later on Friday.
The National Citizen Party, formed by students who led protests that forced then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country last year, also warned of possible violence later in the day.
However, nearly 1,500 people gathered peacefully at the national mosque in Dhaka after Friday prayers for a rally called by Khelafat Majlis, a religiopolitical party.
According to Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, around 100 protesters gathered in Chowhatta and demanded that those responsible for Hadi‘s killing be brought to justice and also called for the resignation of Dhaka’s home affairs adviser if their demands were not met.
“Addressing the gathering, protesters alleged that the killing had been carried out ‘at the behest of India’ and blamed the Awami League and its affiliated bodies, particularly the banned Chhatra League,” the newspaper reported.
In Dhaka, videos circulating on social media showed mobs vandalising the offices of the country’s largest daily newspaper, Prothom Alo, as well as The Daily Star, on Thursday night.
The fire service said the blaze at The Daily Star was under control. Troops were deployed to the scene, and firefighters rescued journalists trapped inside the building.
The demonstrations were marked by emotionally charged slogans invoking Hadi’s name, with protesters vowing to continue their movement and demanding swift justice.
Several areas remained tense, with additional police and paramilitary forces deployed to prevent further violence.
Chief adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, issued a statement from his office condemning the arson and urging citizens to resist mob violence.
“This is a critical moment in our nation’s history when we are making a historic democratic transition,” he was quoted as saying. “We cannot and must not allow it to be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace.”
Yunus added that the upcoming elections were “inseparable” from Hadi’s dreams and that honouring his sacrifice would require restraint, responsibility and a commitment against hatred.
“To the journalists of The Daily Star, Prothom Alo and New Age: we stand with you. We are deeply sorry for the terror and violence you have endured,” the statement read.
“The nation has witnessed your courage and tolerance in the face of terror. Attacks on journalists are attacks on truth itself. We promise you full justice.”
The statement also condemned the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh, vowing that there would be “no space for such violence in new Bangladesh”.
Government blames ‘fringe elements’
Bangladesh has been governed by the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Yunus since August 2024, after Hasina fled to India following a student-led uprising.
The government has been grappling with fresh protests over delayed reforms, and warnings of unrest by Hasina’s party, the Awami League, which has been barred from the vote. The elections are scheduled for February 12.
It urged the people of Bangladesh to resist all forms of mob violence, which it said were committed by a “few fringe elements”.
Earlier, in a televised address to the nation, Yunus declared Saturday a day of state mourning in honour of Hadi.
Violence was also reported in a number of cities across Bangladesh, including the port city of Chittagong, where protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission.
The unrest follows fresh anti-India protests this week, with ties between the neighbours deteriorating since Hasina fled to Delhi.
On Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators marched toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, chanting anti-India slogans, while also demanding Hasina’s return.
#WeAreHadi