Bangladesh plunged into renewed turmoil following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a controversial student leader and political aspirant, exposing deep cracks in governance under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and intensifying a dangerous wave of anti-India agitation.
Hadi, a spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha platform and a prominent face of the 2024 July student uprising, died on Thursday in Singapore after succumbing to gunshot wounds sustained in a targeted attack in Dhaka last week. He was shot in the head by masked assailants who fled the scene after opening fire from a motorbike while he was travelling in a rickshaw.
Big development from Bangladesh. Inqilab Mancha Spokesperson and Student Leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who was critically injured in a gun attack on Friday, has passed away while undergoing treatment at Singapore. This may escalate protests against Yunus. pic.twitter.com/L93pma8ioz
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) December 18, 2025
Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed his death, stating that despite treatment by specialists at Singapore General Hospital and the National Neuroscience Institute, Hadi could not be saved.
While the killing has triggered an emotional backlash on the streets, it has also raised uncomfortable questions for the Yunus-led interim administration. The attack occurred in the heart of the capital, yet the perpetrators remain at large. Critics argue that the murder reflects a collapse of basic law and order at a time when Bangladesh is heading toward a crucial general election scheduled for February 12.
Hadi’s death has already sparked violent protests in Dhaka and other cities. Mobs vandalised the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, underscoring how quickly grief has been weaponised into intimidation and disorder. Security forces were forced to deploy additional police and paramilitary units late into the night to prevent further escalation.
Rather than calming tensions, the administration now appears to be reacting to events instead of controlling them.
Sharif Osman Hadi rose to prominence during last year’s July uprising that ultimately forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee Bangladesh. Since then, he cultivated a hardline image, positioning himself as a revolutionary voice against the old political order.
However, Hadi was also one of the loudest and most provocative anti-India voices in Bangladeshi politics. In speeches and social media posts, he repeatedly attacked New Delhi and promoted inflammatory narratives that strained bilateral relations. Bangladeshi media have reported that he recently circulated a map of a so-called “Greater Bangladesh” that brazenly included Indian territory an act widely seen as irresponsible and dangerous in a volatile region.
Groups aligned with Hadi, including Inquilab Mancha, actively fuelled anti-India sentiment in the Muslim-majority nation after Sheikh Hasina sought refuge in India. This rhetoric has translated into street mobilisation, with protesters openly targeting India’s diplomatic presence.
Even before Hadi’s death, Bangladesh had witnessed renewed anti-India demonstrations. On December 17, hundreds of protesters under the banner “July Oikya” marched toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, chanting hostile slogans and demanding Hasina’s extradition from India.
India, which has historically supported Bangladesh’s stability and development, now finds itself being scapegoated for Bangladesh’s internal political struggles. New Delhi has so far exercised restraint, but continued attacks verbal or physical on Indian interests could irreparably harm relations between the two neighbours.
