Limited Security Presence in Dhaka as Protests Continue Over Sharif Osman Hadi’s Death

Several areas of the capital witnessed a noticeably thin presence of law enforcement on Friday morning, despite ongoing unrest following the death of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson and Dhaka-8 independent candidate hopeful Sharif Osman Hadi.

On Thursday night, violence erupted across Dhaka and other regions of the country. Protesters vandalized and set fire to the headquarters of two leading newspapers — Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. Around 1 a.m., attackers stormed the cultural institution Chhayanaut in Dhanmondi, ransacking all seven floors of the building.

Hundreds of demonstrators later gathered at Shahbagh intersection, blocking roads and chanting slogans in Hadi’s name. Sporadic protests continued into Friday morning, with shopkeepers in the area reporting that unrest had persisted since the previous night.

Reporters from Sangbad24 observed that from 10 a.m. onwards, major intersections including Pragati Sarani, Badda, Rampura, Malibagh, Shantinagar, Kakrail, Bijoynagar, Paltan, Press Club, Matsya Bhaban, Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar, Panthapath, and Dhanmondi-32 showed little more than routine traffic police presence. Heavily armed forces were largely absent, even at locations such as the Secretariat metro station where police are usually visible.

At 10 a.m., women’s rights group Sammlito Nari Proyash staged a human chain protest in front of the Press Club, demanding justice for Hadi’s killing. Only a handful of police officers were seen at the event.

By 11 a.m., several hundred protesters had blocked Shahbagh intersection again, halting traffic in surrounding areas. A police armored personnel carrier was spotted near Dhaka Club, while officers maintained a cautious stance at Shahbagh. Elsewhere, however, security remained minimal. A few Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members were seen at Banglamotor, but intersections such as Karwan Bazar, Farmgate, Panthapath, and Dhanmondi-32 had no visible deployment.

When contacted, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (DB) Md Shafiqul Islam referred inquiries to the crime division. Later, DMP Additional Commissioner (Crime) S.N. Nazrul Islam told that individuals involved in the vandalism at Prothom Alo and The Daily Star were being identified through video footage and cases were being filed. He added that sufficient forces were being deployed to manage the situation following Friday’s Jumma prayers.