Who's Sharif Osman Hadi, whose death sparked protests in Bangladesh
What's the story
The murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth leader in Bangladesh, has triggered widespread unrest across the nation. Hadi was shot while campaigning in Dhaka by a masked attacker on a motorcycle on December 12 and later succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on December 18. His death has intensified political tensions and raised concerns about security ahead of upcoming national elections.
Political impact
Hadi's role in Bangladesh's political landscape
Hadi was a key figure in the July 2024 student-led uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government. He was a spokesperson for Inqilab Mancha, a political platform born out of the student protest movement. The movement was instrumental in Hasina's ouster and paved the way for an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who said the attack was part of a wider conspiracy to derail the upcoming national election and the referendum.
National unrest
Protests erupt and state mourning declared
Hadi rose to prominence during the July Uprising, and his push for a constitutional ban on the Awami League had established him as a staunch opponent of pro-India policies. He regularly targetted the Awami League, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, too, cautioning that a return to the past is untenable. After news of his death spread, at least three cases of arson were reported in Dhaka, including one at the Daily Star building and another at Prothom Alo newspaper building.
Assassination details
Protesters also attacked Chhayanaut
According to local reports, hundreds of protesters attempted to demonstrate in a sit-in outside the home of India's deputy ambassador to Bangladesh, but police fired teargas shells to disperse the crowd. Protesters also stopped a vital highway heading from the capital and attacked the home of a former minister in Chattogram, in the country's southeast, according to footage shown on local media. Protesters also attacked Dhaka's Chhayanaut, a center devoted to Bengali culture in Dhaka.
Election
Election in February
Muslim-majority Bangladesh will vote in February to elect 300 lawmakers. The last elections, held in January 2024, gave Hasina a fourth consecutive term and her Awami League 222 seats, although opposition parties called them a farce. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by three-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is highly expected to win the upcoming election. Zia is currently in intensive care in Dhaka, battling a severe lung infection.