Dhaka, Dec 20: Tension gripped Bangladesh on Friday after the death of prominent July Uprising leader Sharif Osman Hadi triggered protests, violence and vandalism in various parts of the country.
While no incident of violence was reported in the morning, protesters vandalised the already demolished structure of 32 Dhanmandi, the home of Bangladesh’s founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Various parts of the country were rocked on Thursday night by attacks and vandalism, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner’s residence in Chattogram, after Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus confirmed Inquilab Mancha leader Hadi’s death in a televised address to the nation.
The Mancha had made the initial announcement of Hadi’s death, whose body was scheduled to be brought home later in the day.
Hadi, a candidate in the scheduled February 12 general elections, died while undergoing treatment at a Singapore hospital after fighting for his life for six days.
He was shot in the head last week by masked gunmen as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.
Protesters on Thursday took to the streets and attacked offices of leading newspapers, and vandalised 32 Dhanmandi with hammers.
The protesters also demolished an office of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s disbanded Awami League party in Rajshahi city.
Regarded as the centre point of Bangladesh’s pre-independence struggle for autonomy for decades, 32 Dhanmandi was largely demolished with excavators on February 5 this year, while it was set on fire soon after the August 5, 2024, fall of the then Awami League government.
Protesters also hurled bricks and stones at the residence the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram at 1:30 am, but failed to cause any damage.
Police responded with tear gas and baton charges, dispersing the crowd and detaining 12 protesters. A few injuries were also reported.
Senior officials assured the Assistant High Commissioner of enhanced security.
Last night, the National Citizen Party (NCP), a large offshoot of Students against Discrimination (SAD) that led last year’s violent protest – dubbed the July Uprising, which ousted the Hasina-led government – joined a mourning procession on the Dhaka University campus.
Supporters of the group chanted anti-India slogans alleging that Hadi’s assailants fled to India after committing the murder. They called upon the interim government to close the Indian High Commission until they were returned.
“The interim government, until India returns assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh will remain closed. Now or Never. We are in a war!” said Sarjis Alm, a key NCP leader.
Hasina, who fled Bangladesh after her ouster in August last year, is also in India.
In Dhaka, protesters attacked the office of a leading cultural group, Chhayanaut, brought out the furniture and set it on fire.
Sporadic violence was also reported from other parts of the country overnight.
PTI