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<p data-start="88" data-end="341"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fresh protests erupted near the Indian mission in the western Bangladeshi city of Rajshahi on Friday, hours after security forces pushed back a large crowd attempting to storm the Indian assistant high commission in the southern port city of Chittagong.</span></p>
<p data-start="343" data-end="763"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Over the past few days, Bangladesh has witnessed repeated demonstrations near the Indian high commission in Dhaka and the assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi. The protests are linked to the shooting and subsequent death of radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore on Thursday. The unrest intensified following confirmation of his death.</span></p>
<p data-start="765" data-end="1180"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Officials familiar with the situation said the security environment around Indian diplomatic missions remains tense, though all Indian diplomats and staff are safe. They noted that Bangladeshi police and security forces were slow to act against protesters in the initial days, including during Thursday&rsquo;s developments in Chittagong, and intervened decisively only when demonstrators approached the mission premises.</span></p>
<p data-start="1182" data-end="1608"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">On Wednesday, Bangladesh&rsquo;s high commissioner was summoned by India&rsquo;s external affairs ministry to convey serious concern over the deteriorating security situation and the growing threat posed by extremist elements to Indian diplomatic establishments. India conveyed that it expects the interim government in Dhaka to ensure the safety and security of missions and posts in accordance with international diplomatic obligations.</span></p>
<p data-start="1610" data-end="2076"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Indian authorities are also preparing for the possibility of sustained protests following Friday prayers, amid apprehensions that tensions could escalate further once Hadi&rsquo;s body is flown back to Bangladesh from Singapore. Student groups participating in the protests have attempted to link the killing to the Awami League, led by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in self-exile in India, although no evidence has emerged to support these claims.</span></p>
<p data-start="2078" data-end="2390"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Late on Thursday, clashes broke out outside the Indian assistant high commission in Chittagong when protesters threw bricks and vandalised parts of the premises. Four people, including two police personnel, were injured in the violence. Security forces later detained 12 individuals under the Anti-Terrorism Act.</span></p>
<p data-start="2392" data-end="2900"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">In Rajshahi, tensions flared on Thursday when police blocked a march towards the Indian assistant high commission, leading to brief scuffles between demonstrators and security personnel. Officials said radical and anti-India elements appear to be more active in the region, increasing the likelihood of further unrest. Some officials also expressed concern that authorities have not acted firmly against the spread of unverified claims linking India to Hadi&rsquo;s killing, contributing to the volatile situation.</span></p>
<p data-start="2902" data-end="3359"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Meanwhile, Bangladesh&rsquo;s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, announced a day of state mourning on Saturday in response to Hadi&rsquo;s death. In a statement issued on Friday, the caretaker administration urged citizens to resist mob violence carried out by &ldquo;a few fringe elements&rdquo; and condemned acts of violence, intimidation and arson. It stressed that the ongoing democratic transition must not be derailed by forces that thrive on chaos and reject peace.</span></p>
<p data-start="3361" data-end="3611"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Referring to the general election and constitutional referendum scheduled for February 12, the interim government described the process as a solemn national commitment and called on the public to honour Hadi through restraint and by rejecting hatred.</span></p>
<p data-start="3613" data-end="4037"><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The interim government also condemned the lynching of a Hindu man in the Mymensingh district, stating that there is no place for such violence in a &ldquo;new Bangladesh&rdquo; and vowing that those responsible would face strict action. The victim, Dipu Chandra Das, a 30-year-old garment factory worker, was beaten to death by a mob on Thursday night after being accused of blasphemy. His body was later tied to a tree and set on fire.</span></p>
<p data-start="4039" data-end="4213" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><span style="font-family: georgia, palatino, serif; font-size: 12pt;">The incidents have further heightened concerns over law and order and communal tensions in Bangladesh at a time of political transition and heightened regional sensitivities.</span></p>
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People gather following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi

Tensions rise as protests erupt near Indian missions after Hadi’s death

Protests Flare Near Indian Missions in Bangladesh

Tensions rise as protests erupt near Indian missions after Hadi’s death

December 19, 2025 | 18:36 IST