Bangladesh Erupts in Fury After Yunus Confirms Hadi's Death: Protests, Arson Rock Dhaka Amid Calls to Shut Indian High Commission
Tension ran high in Bangladesh on Friday (December 19, 2025) following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in the July Uprising. His passing led to protests, clashes, and the destruction of property in several areas of the country.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) December 19: After Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus confirmed Sharif Osman Hadi's death in a televised address, protests, attacks, and vandalism erupted across the country on Thursday (December 18, 2025) night sharply affecting tension in Bangladesh.
Hadi, one of the most influential figures of the July Uprising, was fatally shot last week and eventually passed away during treatment at a hospital in Singapore after he had been in a fight for life for six days. Mr. Yunus assured the public that the police would apprehend the murderers of Hadi without delay.
Violent Protests Engulf Dhaka Streets
Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Dhaka, and as a result, violence erupted. Several buildings in the capital, among them the ones housing the two leading newspapers of the country, were reportedly set on fire by the police, with the staff still inside, according to the authorities.
There were images of protesters breaking the remnants of 32 Dhanmondi, a place that has been demolished, which was the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.
The areas of the country had upheavals caused by arson and vandalism such as the throwing of stones at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram. All this happened after Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus gave a confirmation of the death of Inquilab Mancha leader Hadi in a TV broadcast address to the nation.
Hadi's Legacy in Student-Led Revolution
Hadi was one of the leading figures on the frontlines in the July uprising of last year, the student protests that led to the end of the 15-year dark reign of the ousted premier Sheikh Hasina.
Hadi was a senior leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha, which was called a radical group that was most actively engaged in the disintegration of the Awami League. The Muhammad Yunus government, however, has dissolved the party despite its involvement in the student uprising and has prohibited it from participating in the national elections.
However, Hadi was still a candidate for the next elections and was running as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency.
Anti-India Sentiments Fuel Demands for Justice
Hadi was born in 1994, in Nalchity Upazila of Jhalokhati district. He came from a Muslim family, and he was a radical leader with a strong anti-India stance.
Supporters of Hadi have claimed that those who killed him have escaped to India. They have also requested Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to shut down the Indian High Commission. Yunus, after announcing a one-day state mourning on Saturday, has promised to take firm action against the perpetrators of Hadi's murder.
