Dhaka: Bangladesh has descended into chaos following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, triggering widespread protests, violent attacks on media offices, Parliament, and communal unrest across the capital Dhaka.

Funeral sparks massive protests

Thousands of Hadi supporters gathered for his funeral in Dhaka, Bangladesh where tensions boiled over. Barricades were breached, and mobs surged into the Bangladesh Parliament building on Saturday, demonstrating the scale of public anger over his death.

Media offices targeted

Protesters attacked leading newspapers, including Prothom Alo and Daily Star, vandalising and setting their offices on fire. Both publications temporarily suspended online updates and stopped broadsheet printing following the incidents.

Cultural and historic sites vandalised

In Dhaka’s Dhanmondi neighbourhood, the cultural institution Chhayanaut was vandalised. Additionally, the personal residence of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, at 32 Dhanmondi, was attacked, highlighting the intensity of the unrest.

Violence against minorities and Indian missions

Communal violence intensified as a Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched, hanged, and set on fire in Mymensingh. Ten suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder. Indian diplomatic missions in Bangladesh were also targeted, with stones thrown at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner’s residence in Chattogram.

Background of Sharif Osman Hadi

Hadi, 32, was a prominent leader of the 2024 July Uprising and a candidate in the February 2026 parliamentary elections, the first since the student-led movement toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government. He was injured in an assassination attempt at a Dhaka mosque last week and later died in Singapore while receiving treatment.

The unrest underscores the continuing volatility in Bangladesh, with mobs attacking key institutions and foreign missions, raising concerns over security, communal tensions, and the country’s political stability.