Bangladesh unrest live: Kolkata police on high alert amid Dhaka situation, security tightened ahead of Christmas and New Year

Bangladesh’s Culture Advisor Mustafa Sarwar Faruquee said authorities have identified all individuals involved in the attack and looting at Chhayanaut Bhaban by analysing CCTV camera footage.

He said the process of fixing responsibility is underway and that necessary action will be taken against those found guilty. The advisor added that the government is treating the incident seriously and is moving to ensure accountability through available evidence.

A prayer meeting for Osman Haider will be held at 2:30 pm on Saturday at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka, authorities said.

In view of security arrangements, attendees have been advised not to carry bags or heavy items to the venue. Officials also announced a complete ban on flying drones in and around the Parliament House area during the event.

The restrictions come amid heightened vigilance in the capital, with authorities seeking to ensure order and safety during the gathering.

New Delhi is closely tracking developments in Bangladesh after the US Embassy in Dhaka issued a nationwide security advisory, warning American citizens to avoid large gatherings and protest sites. The advisory flagged concerns that even peaceful demonstrations could escalate into violence.

The timing has heightened sensitivities. The alert coincides with the return of the mortal remains of Osman Hadi from Singapore to Dhaka, with prayers and protest events scheduled to begin from 2 pm on Saturday.

Indian officials are monitoring the situation for potential spillover effects, especially given the proximity and deep political, economic and security linkages between the two countries. Authorities remain watchful as events unfold on the ground.

Kolkata Police has stepped up security across the city in view of the evolving situation in neighbouring Bangladesh, with all police stations placed on alert. Police Commissioner Manoj Verma said strict monitoring and intensified patrolling are in place to ensure public safety.

The heightened vigilance comes as the city prepares for Christmas and New Year celebrations, a period that typically sees large public gatherings. Senior officers have been instructed to maintain close watch in sensitive areas and ensure quick response mechanisms remain active.

The police leadership said the situation is being closely monitored and that necessary steps will be taken to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incidents during the festive season.

Former Indian diplomat Veena Sikri has launched a blistering critique of Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, calling the current situation a “total mobocracy” as protests and violence intensify after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Sikri argued the administration lacks constitutional legitimacy, and therefore has no authority to hold elections. “This is a total mobocracy functioning in Bangladesh… it is not a constitutional government. It is an illegal government and has no authority or right to conduct elections,” she said.

She also alleged that the political transition after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was engineered with Jamaat-e-Islami “in charge,” claiming Pakistan and “external forces” backed the change, allegations for which she provided no evidence in the comments cited.

Sikri criticised what she described as an immediate rush to blame India for Hadi’s killing. “Within seconds of the shooting, they started blaming India without any inquiry,” she said.

Reiterating India’s stated position, Sikri said New Delhi has conveyed to the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi that only “free, fair, inclusive and participatory elections” would be acceptable, adding that Bangladesh needs a “proper caretaker government” for credibility.

Former Bangladesh minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury has accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of deliberately instigating violence to push back upcoming elections, calling the unrest “engineered” rather than spontaneous.

Speaking to ANI on Friday, Chowdhury, who served as education minister under the ousted Sheikh Hasina government, alleged that the attack on India’s deputy high commissioner’s residence was “pre-planned and state-sponsored” to provoke India and internationalise the crisis. He claimed foreign missions were targeted to trigger a reaction from New Delhi, which he described as Bangladesh’s long-standing “friend and strategic partner.”

Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said his party was the only one in the Northeast to publicly protest outside the Bangladesh mission after statements “against our Northeast.”

In a post on X, he urged political rivals to “wake up,” adding that the “real fight” should be against what he called the “new mini Pakistan (Bangladesh), not each other.”

YTF president Suraj Debbarma told reporters the protest was also meant as a message to forces in Bangladesh he described as “anti-India.”

“We want to remind anti-India forces in Bangladesh that it was India that liberated Bangladesh from the oppression of Pakistan Army… It took only 13 days to turn East Pakistan into a sovereign country,” he said.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a young student leader who rose during Bangladesh’s July Uprising, has become the flashpoint for the country’s latest political turmoil. As convener of the Inqilab Mancha, Hadi built a profile as a fierce critic of the Awami League and what he described as pro-India politics, a stance that won him influence and sharp backlash.

Hadi was campaigning as an independent for the upcoming parliamentary elections when he was shot in Dhaka. He later died while being treated in Singapore. His death has sparked protests across Bangladesh, attacks on media offices, and demonstrations near Indian diplomatic missions, deepening political tensions.

The unrest has also turned deadly for minorities. Dipu Chandra Das, a 30-year-old Hindu worker at a knit factory in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka Upazila, was lynched by a mob during protests. He was accused of insulting Islam. Bangladesh’s interim government has condemned the killing.

Security was beefed up near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala on Friday after Tipra Motha’s youth wing held a protest outside the premises.

West Tripura SP Namit Pathak said Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and CRPF personnel have been deployed. “Adequate security arrangements have been made to handle the situation,” he said.

Tipra Motha Party’s youth wing, the Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), staged a demonstration on Friday near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala to protest what it called an “anti-India campaign” and remarks by a Bangladeshi leader about the Northeast.

Protesters raised slogans against Bangladesh’s current regime as police tightened security around the mission.

The remains of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who died from injuries at a hospital in Singapore, are expected to be brought back to Dhaka by Friday evening, December 19, according to an India Today report.

The repatriation comes as the circumstances around Hadi’s death continue to fuel public anger and political tension in Bangladesh, with officials and activists watching closely for what follows once his body reaches home.

The BJP on Friday drew a parallel between developments in Bangladesh and what it called a deteriorating law-and-order situation in West Bengal, accusing the Mamata Banerjee government of allowing “mobs” and “extremism” to shape public life.

In a post on X, BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya claimed that “Islamist mobs” vandalised Chhayanaut Bhavan in Dhaka and said the alleged attack fit a broader pattern of intimidation targeting media, journalists and cultural institutions in Bangladesh.

Malviya argued that West Bengal was on a similar “dangerous path” due to what he described as political patronage, institutional erosion and “selective silence,” warning that another term for the Trinamool Congress beyond 2026 would have “irreversible” consequences for culture, free expression and democracy.

Bangladesh’s interim government on Friday expressed solidarity with journalists and media organisations targeted during the ongoing unrest, saying it 'stands by' Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, ANI reported.

In a statement attributed to the administration led by chief advisor Muhammad Yunus, the government condemned the attacks on newsrooms and journalists that followed the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. “To the journalists of The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age: we stand with you. We are deeply sorry for the terror and violence you have endured,” the statement said, according to ANI.

The government also promised accountability, saying attacks on journalists were 'attacks on truth itself' and pledging 'full justice,' ANI reported. The remarks come after mobs vandalised and set fire to media offices in Dhaka, intensifying concerns over press freedom and safety as Bangladesh grapples with a volatile pre-election atmosphere.

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government on Friday denounced the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh, saying communal hatred and mob justice have no place in a “New Bangladesh”. In a statement, it said those responsible for the killing would face strict action and none would be spared.

The interim administration also cautioned against arson, vandalism, fear-mongering and damage to property, warning that such acts by fringe and destabilising elements threaten Bangladesh’s democratic transition.

The Bangladesh interim government led by Muhammad Yunus on Friday issued its first response to the ongoing unrest, calling on citizens to reject mob violence and maintain calm. In a statement, the administration blamed a small group of fringe elements for fuelling the chaos across the country. It said it “strongly and unequivocally” condemns all forms of violence, intimidation, arson and destruction of property. The government warned that such acts risk undermining Bangladesh’s democratic process and stability.

Indian envoy and Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Thursday warned against rising anti-India agitation in Bangladesh, linking the recent unrest to the country’s upcoming elections. Speaking to PTI, Shringla said elements were exploiting minority sentiment and anti-India narratives for political gain. His remarks came amid nationwide protests following the death of radical student leader Osman Hadi.

The National Citizen Party (NCP), an offshoot of the Students Against Discrimination movement that led last year’s July Uprising, has issued a sharp warning to India, demanding the return of those it accuses of killing radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Addressing supporters, NCP leader Sarjis Alm said the party would treat the issue as a confrontation with India, threatening continued closure of the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh until the alleged perpetrators are handed over.

The US Embassy expressed solidarity with the people of Bangladesh following the death of radicalised student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, offering condolences to his family, friends and supporters. The embassy said it stood with Bangladeshis during the period of mourning.

Four people, including two police officers, were injured after violence erupted outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chittagong, Bangladesh. As per the police, the protesters gathered outside the Indian mission’s office in the Khulshi area of Chittagong hurled bricks, vandalising the office premises in the early hours of Friday.

Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo has issued a statement on the “large-scale attack, vandalism and arson” on its office last night.

"Due to a large-scale attack, vandalism, and arson at the Prothom Alo office last night, it has not been possible to maintain normal operations. As a result, today’s printed edition of Prothom Alo could not be published. Its online portal is also temporarily unavailable. We sincerely apologise to our readers for this inconvenience. We are working to restore the damaged technical systems as quickly as possible and will resume publication of Prothom Alo in print and online at the earliest. We seek our readers’ cooperation in this matter," it said.

Three media houses in Bangladesh -- The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and The Business Standard -- will not publish their Friday edition amid the ongoing unrest in the country. The protesters had vandalised the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

Even as the office of The Business Standard was not attacked, the publication would not be printing the Friday edition as the press was shut down due to security concerns.

A Hindu man, identified as Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district over blasphemy allegations. According to reports, the attackers tied the youth’s body to a tree and set it on fire.

Bangladesh chief advisor Muhammad Yunus has announced a one-day state mourning on Saturday over the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, the convener of Inquilab Mancha and one of the organisers of the July uprising.

Announcing the decision, Yunus said the national flag would be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, government and private buildings, as well as Bangladesh missions abroad on the day of mourning.

-Tensions continue in Bangladesh -- with protests and violence in several parts of the country -- after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi

-On Thursday, several cases of attacks and vandalism were reported in different parts of the country after chief adviser Muhammad Yunus confirmed the death of the Inquilab Mancha leader.

-At around 1:30 am on Friday, protestors hurled bricks and stones at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram

-One of the most serious incidents occurred at Karwan Bazar, where the offices of English-language daily The Daily Star and Bangla daily Prothom Alo were attacked

-Meanwhile, Sharif Osman's body is set to be brought to India on Friday. He died while undergoing treatment there.

The mortal remains of Sharif Osman Hadi are expected to reach Dhaka at around 6 pm on Friday evening. On Saturday,  Hadi’s main funeral prayers will take place in Dhaka after Zuhr prayers (afternoon namaz).

Stones were hurled at the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram as protests intensified in Bangladesh following the death of anti-India activist Sharif Osman Hadi. Demonstrators also targeted the residence of India’s Deputy High Commissioner amid rising tensions. The unrest spread to Dhaka and other cities, where protesters set fire to offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, trapping journalists inside before rescue operations were launched. Authorities reported widespread arson and vandalism, prompting heavy security deployment. (read more)

A Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh’s Bhaluka Upazila on Thursday night, police and BBC Bangla reported. The attackers allegedly tied his body to a tree and set it on fire after the assault. Police recovered the body and sent it for autopsy, saying no case has been filed yet as authorities try to trace his family. The killing comes amid heightened tensions in Bangladesh following the death of political activist Sharif Osman Hadi. (Read full report here)

Veteran Bangladeshi journalist Nurul Kabir, editor of the English daily New Age, was attacked by a mob as protests erupted across the country following the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The incident occurred amid widespread unrest marked by vandalism and violence in several cities. Authorities said the situation remains tense as security forces have been deployed to restore order.

Amid continuing unrest in Bangladesh after the death of Inquilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman Hadi, BNP leader Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is expected to return home on December 25. According to Prothom Alo, Rahman has applied for a travel pass at the Bangladesh High Commission in London. He has been living in self-imposed exile in the UK for several years and is seen as a key political figure ahead of the upcoming general elections.

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday expressed grief over the death of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi and called on the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

In a Facebook post, Rahman described the killing as tragic and appealed for a prompt and thorough investigation.

“I am deeply saddened by the tragic killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. May Allah grant forgiveness to his soul. This untimely death is a grave reminder of the human cost of political violence. I also call upon the interim government to conduct a swift investigation, with the utmost priority, so that perpetrators are apprehended, punished, and justice is served,” Rahman said.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 student uprising and spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha platform, died on Thursday in Singapore after being critically injured in a shooting. He was attacked by masked assailants while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka, who followed him on a motorbike and opened fire before fleeing.

Initially treated in Bangladesh, Hadi was later airlifted to Singapore General Hospital for advanced medical care. Despite intensive treatment at SGH and the National Neuroscience Institute, he succumbed to his injuries on December 18, 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed. Hadi was also a candidate for the upcoming February 12 general elections in Bangladesh, making him a key figure in the country’s political landscape. (Read more)

Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, declared Saturday, December 20, 2025, a national day of mourning following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha. Yunus urged citizens to remain calm amid ongoing protests and violence, emphasizing the need for patience and restraint. He called on law enforcement and relevant institutions to conduct investigations professionally, assuring that the state is committed to upholding the rule of law.

In Dhaka, protesters set fire to the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star during overnight unrest. The attacks completely gutted both buildings, forcing the publications to suspend operations for the day. Around 30 journalists were trapped inside The Daily Star office but were safely evacuated with the help of army and fire service personnel. Firefighters remained on the scene to control the blaze and prevent further damage.

Amid ongoing unrest in Bangladesh, the residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi-32 was vandalised and set on fire once more. In separate incidents, the home of former Chittagong mayor Mohiuddin was also torched, and the Awami League’s office in Rajshahi was reported demolished.

In Dhaka, an angry mob vandalised and set fire to the premises of Bengali cultural organisation Chhayanaut following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi. Videos circulating online showed protesters shouting slogans while attacking the key centre for arts and cultural activities.