Militants attack Indian Assistant High Commission amid escalating violence in Bangladesh: WATCH
Militants launched a pre-dawn assault on the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram, hurling stones and engaging in violent clashes with security personnel, according to real-time reports emerging early Friday.
The assault on the diplomatic mission represents a stark escalation in unrest that has gripped Bangladesh following the death of prominent student leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi.
The violence comes as widespread protests and riots have swept across Bangladesh after Hadi — a key figure in last year’s pro-democracy uprising — succumbed to injuries sustained in an assassination attempt while campaigning in Dhaka.
Demonstrators have torched major newspaper offices, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, clashed with police in Dhaka and other cities, and directed anti-India rhetoric toward diplomatic missions and residences linked to Indian officials.
Security forces have been deployed nationwide as authorities declared a national day of mourning and called for calm, but tensions remain high ahead of elections scheduled for February 2026.
Protesters have also targeted the offices and residences of political figures from the ousted Awami League party and blocked key highways in centers such as Chittagong and Rajshahi.
This latest assault on the Indian mission marks a serious diplomatic flashpoint, potentially straining already tense relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.
In recent days, Dhaka has temporarily suspended visa services at several missions after crowds converged on diplomatic premises, demanding the return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from exile in India.
Wider Violence in Bangladesh
The attack in Chattogram is part of a broader pattern of instability in Bangladesh since the overthrow of former premier Sheikh Hasina in 2024:
Political violence and protests have ebbed and flowed for more than a year, with previous waves of bomb blasts, arson, and transport disruptions reported in Dhaka ahead of key trials and verdicts related to alleged crimes against humanity.
Minority communities and ethnic groups have been caught in sporadic violence, including deadly clashes in hill districts like Khagrachhari, where indigenous activists were killed during protests demanding justice over alleged crimes.
Historical incidents of targeted attacks on Hindu neighborhoods and religious sites have underscored long-standing social tensions, with authorities recording numerous episodes of vandalism, looting, and displacement in 2025.
Earlier in the year, Bangladesh witnessed symbolic vandalism of historic sites and political symbols, including the demolition of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum amid broader unrest tied to anti-government sentiment.
As the night unfolds in Chattogram and unrest continues nationwide, security challenges and diplomatic sensitivities in Bangladesh remain acute, raising concerns about the trajectory of political violence and its implications for regional stability.