Bangladesh Unrest LIVE Updates: Bangladesh has been rocked by violent protests since late Thursday after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, with concerns of further unrest ahead of national elections in the country.
Hadi, a student leader during last year’s uprising that overthrew the Sheikh Hasina government, was shot in the head by masked assailants last Friday as he launched his election campaign in Dhaka. He was initially treated at a local hospital before being moved to Singapore, where he died after spending six days on life support.
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.
The protests saw emotionally charged slogans invoking Hadi’s name. A report by the news agency Reuters said that several areas remained tense late into Thursday night, with additional security forces deployed to prevent further violence.
Reacting to Hadi’s death, Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus said, “His passing represents an irreplaceable loss to the nation’s political and democratic sphere.” Yunus ensured a transparent investigation into Hadi’s death and urged citizens to remain calm.