Bangladesh marked a national day of mourning on Saturday as tens of thousands gathered in Dhaka for the funeral of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in the country’s 2024 student-led uprising, whose killing sparked days of nationwide unrest.
Security was tightened across the capital as Hadi’s funeral prayer was held at the South Plaza of the national parliament complex, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Police officers equipped with body cameras were deployed at major intersections and around sensitive sites, while the national flag was flown at half-staff on public and private buildings.
Hadi, 32, was later buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University, laid to rest near the grave of Bangladesh’s national poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam — a symbolic gesture that underscored his prominence among student activists and reformist groups.
The funeral came after two days of widespread protests triggered by Hadi’s death, which followed more than a week of intensive medical treatment overseas. Although street demonstrations had largely subsided by Saturday, reports continued to emerge of arson, vandalism, and targeted attacks that shook cultural institutions, political figures, and major media outlets.
According to local newspaper Prothom Alo, the residence of Anisul Islam Mahmud, president of the National Democratic Front and a senior figure within a faction of the Jatiya Party, was vandalized and set ablaze late Friday in the port city of Chattogram.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the country’s main state-run cultural institution, announced the suspension of all programs and exhibitions, citing security concerns after two of its buildings were torched earlier in the week, The Daily Star reported.
Both Prothom Alo and The Daily Star also came under attack during the unrest. Staff members were briefly trapped inside their offices and forced onto rooftops as fires spread through parts of the buildings. Despite the damage, both publications said they would continue operations digitally.
Hadi served as the spokesperson for Inqilab Moncho (Platform for Revolution), one of the most visible movements to emerge from Bangladesh’s 2024 student protests. He was also preparing to contest a parliamentary seat in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area ahead of elections scheduled for February 2026.
On December 12, Hadi was shot in the head by two masked attackers riding a motorcycle as they pulled alongside the battery-powered auto-rickshaw he was traveling in. After initial treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, he was transferred to Singapore General Hospital due to severe brainstem injuries. He died on Thursday.
Inqilab Moncho called on supporters to attend the funeral but urged restraint, asking followers to avoid violence as tensions escalated nationwide.
Hadi’s death quickly reignited public anger, with protesters demanding justice and accountability. Demonstrations erupted in Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong, and Gazipur, with crowds calling for the extradition of suspects linked to the killing.
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According to reporting from Al Jazeera, speculation circulated among police officials that the suspected gunman may have fled to India, though authorities have not publicly confirmed this. The possibility, combined with lingering anger over India’s decision to host former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her removal from office in August 2024, fueled strong anti-India sentiment among demonstrators.
During the protests, groups set fire to the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — Hasina’s father and Bangladesh’s founding leader — demolished offices of the Awami League, and blocked major highways. The Indian Assistant High Commission in Chittagong was also attacked.
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, issued a statement condemning the violence “strongly and unequivocally,” including what it described as the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh.
By Friday afternoon, as Hadi’s body was repatriated from Singapore, protesters gathered in Shahbag Square, renewing calls for the extradition of those responsible for the killing, as well as Sheikh Hasina.
