Bangladesh unrest live highlights: 10 arrested over lynching of Hindu man in Mymensingh

An agitated crowd marched towards the Bangladesh Parliament in Dhaka following the funeral of Osman Hadi on Saturday. Security forces intervened, stopped the march and dispersed the protesters to prevent any escalation of the situation, officials said.

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and a prominent leader of the July uprising, was laid to rest this afternoon beside national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

According to Daily Star, he was buried at around 3:48pm following his namaz-e-janaza. A munajat was offered afterwards, concluding at 4:03pm.

Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus on Saturday paid tribute to Inqilab Manch spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, saying he would remain an enduring source of inspiration for the nation.

“Hadi, you will not fade. No one will forget you. You will stay with us for generations,” Yunus said while speaking at Hadi’s funeral at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday afternoon.

Exiled Bangladeshi author and human rights activist Taslima Nasreen has alleged that 25-year-old Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das, brutally lynched in Mymensingh, was falsely accused of blasphemy by a Muslim coworker.

Nasreen claimed the attack occurred despite Dipu being under police protection.

Sharing a video of him in custody, she said, “Dipu Chandra Das worked at a factory in Bhaluka, Mymensingh. He was a poor labourer. One day, a Muslim coworker wanted to punish him over some trivial matter, so in the middle of a crowd, he announced that Dipu had made derogatory remarks about the Prophet. That was enough. Frenzied followers of the Prophet pounced on Dipu like hyenas and began to tear him apart. Eventually, the police rescued him and took him into custody, meaning Dipu was under police protection.”

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has also expressed deep concern over rising violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh following the brutal murder of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das.

Calling the incident “distressing,” Sai said, “What is happening to Hindus in Bangladesh is very sad. This should not be happening.”

Indian leaders have strongly condemned the brutal lynching of 25-year-old Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, calling for swift action against the perpetrators and greater protection for minority communities.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor voiced his outrage on X, describing the incident as “an unbearably tragic incident amid the mob rule that is raging across Bangladesh.” He further appreciated the condemnation issued by the Bangladeshi government but questioned what steps were being taken to prevent similar attacks in the future.

The army chiefs of India and Bangladesh are in direct communication to maintain stability on the ground amid escalating unrest in Bangladesh, reported CNN-News18.

Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman reportedly assured his Indian counterpart that all Indian assets in Bangladesh remain secure, emphasizing Dhaka’s commitment to protecting foreign missions despite rising tensions. The unrest in Bangladesh has intensified following the death of anti-India radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in the July pro-democracy uprising. Hadi succumbed to injuries in a Singapore hospital on Thursday, a week after being shot by masked gunmen in Dhaka.

The post-mortem examination of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi is underway at Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka ahead of his burial scheduled later today. Police officials said Hadi’s body was brought to the hospital earlier in the morning, where forensic procedures are being conducted under strict security. Law enforcement personnel have been deployed in and around the hospital to maintain order, BD News reported.

Once the post-mortem is completed, the body will be moved to the Parliament complex for funeral prayers in the afternoon.

In a social media post, Inqilab Moncho stated that Hadi will be buried beside the grave of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, in accordance with his family’s wishes.

Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has called on the Centre to take cognisance of rising violence against religious minorities in Bangladesh following the brutal killing of a Hindu youth, Deepu Chandra Das.

In a post on X, Vadra described the murder as “extremely alarming” and said that discrimination and violence based on religion, caste, or identity are “crimes against humanity.” She urged the Indian government to engage firmly with Dhaka to ensure the safety of Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist communities in the neighbouring country.

Bangladesh’s interim government this morning said seven people have been arrested in connection with the beating to death of a 27-year-old youth in the Valuka area of Mymensingh district.

Chief Adviser of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, said in a post on X that the victim, Dipu Chandra Das, was an adherent of Sanatan Dharma. The arrests were made by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) following operations conducted at multiple locations. Those arrested have been identified as Md Limon Sarkar (19), Md Tarek Hossain, Md Manik Mia (20), Ershad Ali (39), Nijum Uddin (20), Alomgir Hossain (38) and Md Miraj Hossain Akon (46), Yunus said. According to the statement, RAB-14 carried out coordinated operations that led to the arrests of the suspects in connection with the killing.

The US today issued a travel advisory for its citizens in Bangladesh, warning of possible disruptions and security concerns in Dhaka ahead of Hadi's funeral, whose death has triggered unrest in the capital. The advisory comes a day after protests erupted in Dhaka, during which demonstrators carried out vandalism and set fire to the offices of two major media organisations, demanding swift action against those responsible for Hadi’s death. In the advisory, the US government urged its citizens to reassess travel plans, remain vigilant, and avoid large gatherings, citing the potential for delays and heightened security measures in the city.

It also cautioned that protests could turn violent.

The United Nations human rights chief on Friday called for an urgent and impartial investigation into the killing of Bangladeshi student activist Sharif Osman Hadi, whose death has triggered nationwide protests.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged Bangladeshi authorities to conduct a “prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation” into the attack and ensure accountability for those responsible. Turk warned that acts of retaliation could “deepen divisions and undermine the rights of all.” With parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026, Turk stressed the need to protect citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as the safety of journalists, to maintain a secure environment for democratic participation.

The diplomatic temperature rose on Thursday when India’s foreign ministry summoned Bangladesh’s top envoy in New Delhi, citing concerns over the deteriorating law-and-order situation and warning about the presence of “extremist elements”. In a swift response, Bangladesh summoned India’s High Commissioner in Dhaka, accusing New Delhi of allowing Hasina to issue “incendiary” remarks from Indian soil.

The escalating violence in Bangladesh has begun to strain ties with India, with anti-India sentiment emerging as a key theme in recent protests and triggering a sharp diplomatic exchange between the two neighbours.

Much of the public anger has been directed at New Delhi for its long-standing support of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and for hosting her since she fled Dhaka last year following a mass uprising. Bangladesh has formally sought Hasina’s extradition to face multiple charges, including allegations that she ordered a violent crackdown on the movement that forced her from power. India has confirmed receipt of the request but has not committed to acting on it.

Tensions were further heightened by a separate incident in Mymensingh, where a 25-year-old Hindu factory worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched and his body set on fire over alleged blasphemy. The interim government condemned the killing, saying there was “no space for such violence in the new Bangladesh” and pledged strict action against those responsible.

Meanwhile, stone-pelting was reported at the residence of the Assistant Indian High Commissioner in Chattogram, though no damage was caused. Police dispersed the crowd using tear gas and baton charges and detained at least 12 people. Senior officials later assured the diplomat of enhanced security.

Earlier, protesters had attacked the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, vandalised the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhaka, and demolished an office of the now-disbanded Awami League in Rajshahi. Chhayanat, another prominent cultural organisation, was also ransacked, with musical instruments, artworks and documents destroyed.

The unrest erupted after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a youth leader, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, and an election candidate. Hadi was shot by masked gunmen in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area on December 12 and later flown to Singapore for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. His body arrived in Dhaka from Singapore on Friday evening amid tight security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, with large deployments of the army, Armed Forces Battalion and police.

Soon after the arrival of Hadi’s body, fresh violence was reported in the capital.

Police said alleged radical right-wing activists set fire to the main office of Udichi Shilpigoshthi, one of the country’s leading progressive cultural organisations. Its general secretary Jamshed Anwar said the arson destroyed everything inside the office. Security forces were later deployed in the area.

Bangladesh remained tense on Friday as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) blamed the recent spate of violence and vandalism on a “conspiracy” to derail the democratic process ahead of the February 2026 general elections, even as authorities prepared to hold the funeral of slain youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi under heavy security.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said attacks on newspaper offices, cultural organisations and other establishments after Hadi’s killing were meant to create fear and chaos to disrupt the electoral process. Speaking after a meeting of the party’s national standing committee, he said the unrest reflected a calculated attempt to push the country towards instability.

“We strongly condemn these heinous attacks. They prove that an old and identified group is trying to systematically lead the country towards anarchy,” Fakhrul said. He warned that forces were seeking to subvert democratic and voting rights “earned with much blood” and impose what he described as “a new version of fascism”.