Mob Violence Targets Media and Cultural Institutions in Bangladesh after Activist’s Death

Darwin, 19 December: Bangladesh has witnessed a surge in mob violence and unrest following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent youth leader of the July Movement and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha platform.

Late Thursday night, mobs attacked and set fire to the offices of two of the country’s leading independent newspapers—Prothom Alo and The Daily Star—sparking widespread concern over press freedom and public security.

Sharif Osman Hadi, the convener of Inqilab Mancha and an independent parliamentary candidate from Dhaka-8 constituency, succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore at approximately 9:45 pm on Thursday. His death triggered immediate unrest in the capital.

Soon after the news broke, a YouTuber named Elias Hossain, currently living abroad under asylum, reportedly called for the destruction of the Prothom Alo and Daily Star offices through online platforms. Subsequently, an agitated mob vandalized and set fire to the buildings of both newspapers in the Karwan Bazar area of Dhaka. The incidents have spread fear and panic across the country.

Not only these two buildings, a group of people also carried out an attack on the premises of Chhayanaut, a long-established cultural organization, in the Dhanmondi area of the capital.

The Office of long-established cultural organization Chhayanaut.

Meanwhile, students and protesters staged an overnight demonstration from Thursday night to Friday morning in the Dhaka University area, demanding justice for Hadi’s killing. Protesters warned that the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh would be shut down unless Hadi’s alleged killers are brought back to the country.

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 at Kalvert Road in the Bijoynagar area of Dhaka. According to reports, two assailants arrived on a motorcycle, shot him at close range, and fled the scene. The bullet penetrated his brain, leaving him critically injured.

He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where emergency surgery was performed, before being transferred to Evercare Hospital. Due to the severity of his condition, he was later flown to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he eventually died.

In response to his death, Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, announced a one-day state mourning on Saturday.

The recent incidents have raised serious questions about law enforcement preparedness, public order, and the safety of journalists, media institutions, and cultural organizations amid rising political tensions in the country.