DHAKA: Bangladesh has slipped into repeated unrest, political violence and seismic vandalism since August 2024, when a violent student protest led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina regime and the country’s administration was taken over by the interim government under the Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. However, the latest violence and unrest has been on a sweeping scale and the country is burning with law and order failure. The death of the student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who apparently spearheaded the 2024 student protest stimulating a regime change in Dhaka, has cut Bangladesh into deep wounds.
The irrational fact emanating from the chaotic domestic political landscape of Dhaka is the anti-India propaganda. With domestic polity and law & order scenario, deeply wounded, the irrational mob is yet targeting India without any logical basis. With the future of Bangladesh oscillating without stability, the unidirectional mob is attacking Hindus, Indian High Commission and other public properties in Bangladesh cluelessly. Will such heinous acts yield any prosperity to Dhaka? The answer is no! But the mob is mindlessly and violently targeting India with zero grounds. They are attacking a nation which is the very cause for their liberation and existence!
Let us decode who Sharif Osman Hadi is and why his death is brewing anti-India rhetoric in Bangladesh.
Sharif Osman Hadi: A severe critic of Hasina regime and India
Sharif Osman Hadi is the youth and student leader of Bangladesh who revolutionised the August 2024 protest that led to the expulsion of Sheikh Hasina regime from Dhaka. He was the key, emerging and prominent face of Bangladesh politics who aspired to contest the 2026 national elections as an independent candidate. He was an outspoken critic of the Sheikh Hasina regime and also infamous for his persistent anti-India remarks. He was the spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, a radical political and cultural platform which was the kingpin for the 2024 violent mass protest.
Sharif Osman Hadi was a key figure who was known for mobilizing the youths and students and instilling anti-establishment and anti-India propaganda in them without any rational basis. The Inquilab Mancha was apparently calling out all the people associated with the Awami League and the previous regime as “terrorists”. The group was also demanding government security for the activists who revolutionised the 2024 protests. His key agenda for the February 2026 elections was evading foreign control on Bangladesh, particularly from India. He was shot down during the election campaign on December 12 afternoon at Central Dhaka.
Dhaka police and the bystanders reiterate that Sharif Osman Hadi was riding on a rickshaw and three people chased him on a motorbike. One of them shot him down. The interim government of Bangladesh airlifted him to Singapore for medical treatment. However, he died on December 18. This political death triggered massive unrest across Bangladesh.
Yunus government owes to take the revenge
Reacting to the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, the interim government of Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus has declared a state mourning. They have described the death of the youth leader as a major blow to the political transition of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus has also owed to seek accountability and find out the people behind the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. Yunus has also called out the Awami League, the political party of Sheikh Hasina, as “fascist terrorists”.
These statements by the Yunus administration show a clear political fragmentation or partisanship in Bangladesh. The Awami League is banned and is not allowed to contest the 2026 elections as well. Thus, the Bangladesh National Party(BNP) is set to emerge as the largest political party of the country without major opposition. The statements by the interim government, which came to power just to ensure free and fair elections for the country in the aftermath of the dismantling of the previous regime, now raises doubts regarding deep political nexus and aspirations.
Brainless vandalism of culture, history and baseless allegations against India
The news of the death of Sharif Osman Hadi engulfed Bangladesh in a lightning speed thus sparking unidirectional massive mob and violent protest. The protestors have irrationally targeted the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, major media houses, senior journalists and have vandalised various public properties. Two largest newspapers of Bangladesh Prothom Alo(Bengali language) and the Daily Star(English newspaper) were set ablaze by the attackers. Nearly 30 journalists were stuck inside who were later rescued.
#WATCH | Bangladesh: Visuals of the aftermath from Prothom Alo office in Dhaka, which was burned down by protesters. Firefighters are present at the spot.
After the death of Osman Hadi, a key leader in the protests against Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has erupted in unrest, and… pic.twitter.com/SbH0kiLglE
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
#WATCH | Bangladesh: Visuals of the aftermath from The Daily Star office in Dhaka, which was burned down by protesters.
After the death of Osman Hadi, a key leader in the protests against Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has erupted in unrest, and two newspaper offices have been set… pic.twitter.com/dpKn5h97fI
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
More devastating was the fact that the house of the founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was set on fire, which is apparently a symbol of patriotism and freedom of Bangladesh. Other infrastructures related to Awami League political parties were also torched by the protestors. For example, the residence of the Awami League organising secretary and Former Education Minister was set on fire.
#WATCH | Dhaka, Bangladesh: At number 32 Dhanmondi, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house had already been partially demolished, and now protesters are tearing down the remaining parts. They have also set fire to a poster of Sheikh Hasina there. pic.twitter.com/fC37MSkXDB
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
Protestors also vandalised Chhayanaut in Dhaka, which is a vital Bengali cultural organisation. The protestors have broken and set ablaze musical instruments, painting and other symbols of Bengali cultural heritage. Thus, it’s high-time that the protestors realize the fact that mindless vandalism doesn’t yield the justice they seek.
#WATCH | Dhaka, Bangladesh: The office of Chhayanaut, an institution devoted to Bengali culture in Bangladesh, was attacked last night. Their main office in Dhanmondi was vandalized and set on fire. pic.twitter.com/Wy0Zp2A3Me
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2025
More importantly, with the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, the protestors have embarked on an anti-India campaign with the “Boycott India” slogan. Apart from targeting the Indian High Commission, they have marched to the India-Bangladesh border in Benapole. Without any evidence, the protestors have alleged that India is sheltering the attackers of Sharif Osman Hadi. The political organisations such as the National Citizens Party(NCP) claimed that the assailants who killed Sharif Osman Hadi have fled to India. However, these claims doesn’t have any solid proof.
Even the Foreign Ministry of Bangladesh under the interim government has exclaimed that New Delhi should cooperate with Dhaka to prevent the escape of the culprits to India and seek safe-haven in the neighbouring country. The assailants should not be allowed to enter Indian territory. As a sharp answer to the illogical statements of the interim government of Bangladesh, India summoned the Bangladesh envoy and issued warning and condemned the anti-India statements and actions emanating from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh, under the interim government under the aegis of pseudo-secularism has been a brewing ground for anti-India activities and rhetoric. Multi-cultural ethos and social fabric of the Bangladesh polity has been eroded. Anti-India hatredness and propaganda has been spiking without any solid evidence. As the countdown has begun for the national elections in February 2026, the latest violent row surrounding the death of Sharif Osman Hadi further derails the socio-political stability of Bangladesh which is hitherto full of fissures under the veil of secularism, democracy and progress.
