Bangladesh witnessed a night of violent protests and arson attacks following the death of youth leader and activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Demonstrators raised anti-India slogans, targeted diplomatic premises, and set fire to major media offices in the capital, Dhaka, and the port city of Chattogram.
Protests Outside Indian Diplomatic Missions
The unrest escalated on the night of Thursday, December 18, 2025. In Chattogram, a group of protesters gathered outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in the Khulshi area around 11 pm. According to reports, they staged a sit-in and shouted slogans protesting Hadi's killing, which were mixed with chants against the Awami League and India.
Police swiftly moved to the scene upon learning of the demonstration. Khulshi Police chief Shahin Alam confirmed that the protesters were removed from the premises, and personnel remained stationed to maintain order. This incident followed a similar event on December 17 in Dhaka, where a large march towards the Indian High Commission was stopped by police.
In response to the rising tensions, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had earlier summoned Bangladesh's envoy, Riaz Hamidullah, to New Delhi. The MEA conveyed its strong concern over announcements by extremist elements to create a security situation around the Indian mission in Dhaka.
Media Offices Targeted and Set Ablaze
The violence took a severe turn when protesters attacked the offices of two of Bangladesh's leading newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, in Dhaka's Karwanbazar area. The attacks began around midnight on Thursday.
Protesters, accusing the media houses of being aligned with India where ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge, vandalized the buildings with sticks. The Daily Star building was set on fire, trapping several employees inside. Reporter Zyma Islam posted a desperate plea on Facebook, stating, "I can't breathe anymore. There's too much smoke. I am inside. You are killing me."
Firefighting officials managed to bring the blaze under control by 1:40 am local time, but 27 employees were reportedly still inside at the time. The residence of the ousted Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, was also set on fire by the demonstrators.
Who Was Sharif Osman bin Hadi?
The protests were triggered by the death of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, the convenor of the platform Inqilab Moncho. Hadi was shot in the head by an assailant on a motorcycle while campaigning in Bijoynagar on Friday, December 12. He succumbed to his injuries days later.
Hadi had risen to prominence during the July Uprising and the movement calling for a ban on the Awami League. He was a key figure in the uprising that ended Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's rule last year, leading to her departure from the country. Hadi had announced plans to contest the Bangladesh parliamentary election in February 2026 as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency.
In a statement, Inqilab Moncho declared Hadi had been 'martyred' in what it termed the "struggle against Indian hegemony." This narrative fueled the anti-India sentiment during the subsequent protests, where demonstrators also demanded the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.
The situation remained tense, with local news reports stating that the house of India's deputy ambassador to Bangladesh was also surrounded by hundreds attempting a sit-in, before police dispersed the crowd with tear gas shells.
