00:00Bangladesh has been rocked by violent protests across several cities following the death of
00:23youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, raising concerns of further unrest just weeks ahead of the
00:29country's national elections. Hadi, a spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha platform and a candidate
00:36in the upcoming general elections, was shot in the head by masked assailants last Friday while
00:41launching his election campaign in the capital, Dhaka. He was initially rushed to a local hospital
00:47before being airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment. After spending six days on
00:53life support, Hadi died late Thursday, triggering an immediate and emotional reaction across the
00:59country. In Dhaka, videos circulating on social media showed angry mobs vandalising the offices
01:06of two of Bangladesh's most prominent newspapers, Prothom Allo and The Daily Star. The demonstrations
01:14were marked by emotionally charged slogans invoking Hadi's name, with protesters vowing to continue
01:20their movement while demanding swift justice and accountability for the attack that claimed
01:25his life. Several neighbourhoods in the capital remained tense late into the night. Authorities
01:31deployed additional police and paramilitary forces in an effort to prevent further violence and restore
01:37order. Police did not immediately comment on the unrest, while the fire service confirmed that a blaze at the
01:44Daily Star office had been brought under control. Violence was not limited to the capital. Unrest was also
01:51reported in several other cities, including the major port city of Chittagong, highlighting the nationwide
01:57scale of the protests. Bangladesh is currently governed by an interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize
02:04laureate Muhammad Yunus, which took power in August 2024 after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to
02:12India following a student-led uprising. The country is now preparing for national elections scheduled for
02:19February 12th, with analysts warning that the latest violence could further destabilise an already fragile
02:26political environment. In a televised address to the nation following Hadi's death, interim leader
02:32Muhammad Yunus said,
02:35His passing represents an irreplaceable loss to the nation's political and democratic sphere.
02:42Yunus urged citizens to remain calm, stressing that the government was committed to a transparent
02:48investigation and vowed to bring all those responsible to justice. Appealing for restraint,
02:55Yunus warned that continued violence would only undermine Bangladesh's path toward a credible election,
03:01calling on citizens to protect the democratic process. In response to Hadi's death, the interim
03:08administration has declared Saturday a day of state mourning, with national flags to be flown at half-staff
03:14and special prayers planned nationwide in his honour. The unrest also comes against the backdrop of recent
03:21anti-India protests, as relations between Bangladesh and India have deteriorated since Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi.
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