Intolerance Takes Over Bangladesh, Newspaper Offices Torched

Events that occurred in Bangladesh following the assassination of a young Islamist leader, Sharif Osman bin Hadi, on December 12, allegedly by Sheikh Hasina’s men, brought out four strong political trends.

These are- the rising popularity of an anti-India Islamic radicalism, opposition to the liberal media, disdain for cultural pluralism, and the resort to street power at the first instance.

The 32 year old Islamist leader Sherif Osman bin Hadi was killed by a gunman in a Dhaka street on December 12, allegedly at the behest of Sheikh Hasina, who, in turn, is believed to have the backing of India. Therefore, the anger was directed against Hasina, her party, the Awami League, and India.

Hadi was the spokesman of “Inqilab Moncho” (Revolutionary Platform), an Islamist body with its core group drawn from those who had passed out of Madrasahs. The Inquilab Moncho (IM) has been gaining support lately because the known leaders of the July 2024 uprising against the pro-India Sheikh Hasina government had begun to indulge in corrupt and questionable practices and the traditional parties like the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) had failed to rise to the occasion and lead the people, who were looking for the realization of the ideals of the July 2024 movement.

The IM is more leftist and anti-India than NCP. Therefore, it became the vanguard of the struggle for social and political change and national sovereignty.

Hadi’s rise coincided with the re-emergence of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) as an important factor in Bangladesh politics after it diluted its conservative Islamic social code and partially shed its pro-Pakistan stand on the Bangladesh fight for independence. A recent survey cited by the daily “Prothom Alo” found that 65 % of the respondents supported the Jamaat-i-Islami’s ideology.

Linking Hadi’s assassination with India, which had fully backed Hasina’s regime for 15 years, IM said that Hadi died “in the struggle against Indian hegemony.”

An aspiring independent candidate in the February 2026 parliamentary elections, from the Dhaka-8 constituency, Hadi was given an official funeral on Saturday, indicting the Interim Government’s endorsement of his politics.

At the condolence meeting, speaker after speaker spewed anti-Indian and anti-Hasina and anti-Awami venom. “Amar Desh” Editor Mahmudur Rahman demanded that Hadi's attackers, as well as death-row convicts like deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, be handed over by India before December 25.

"Otherwise, by the blood of Hadi, we will launch a resistance movement against every Indian establishment in Bangladesh," he thundered.

The two individuals who attacked Hadi, had allegedly fled to India. Alluding to this, Rahman said - “If the killers are not extradited by December 25, the work permits of every Indian working in Bangladesh must be revoked."

Former information adviser Mahfuj Alam, said, "There is no use in showing civility… because enough is enough. We have been patient for too long. Further, those who served Indian interests or the interests of other foreign forces will also not be allowed to remain safe. This is the basic condition. No one should attack us. If one body falls on our side, we will take a body from their side in return."

He called for a stronger movement to resist "culturally and intellectually" teachers, media professionals and legal experts who oppose the July movement’s objectives.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar described Hadi as a symbol of the people's unity against Indian hegemony. “The attack on Hadi is part of a broader plan by those who want to turn Bangladesh into a tributary state of India, who want to reduce us to subservience and who want to engulf this country." Parwar said.

Sarjis Alam, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said that until India returns the assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh will remain closed. “Now or Never. We are in a war!” he said.

A lady activist said that if India launches a military attack, thousands of Bangladeshis should be at the border to challenge the attackers.

United People's Bangladesh Convener Ali Ahsan said the syndicate involved in the attack on Hadi must be crushed to the ground. "The Indian agent network and any Bangladeshi agencies involved must be brought before the public and punished."

Representatives from different political and socio-cultural platforms, including Hefazat-e-Islam, Gono Samhati Andolon, Biplobi Workers' Party, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Janatar Dal and Bangladesh Labour Party, joined the programme.

The offices of two leading dailies, “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star” were set on fire on December 18. The staff inside were rescued after a three hour ordeal. The offices of the Bengali cultural organization “Chhayanaut” and “Udichi Shilpigoshthi” were also torched because as they promoted “un-Islamic” pursuits like art, music, dance and sculpture.

The agitators dubbed “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star”” which were neutral, liberal and moderate newspapers as “pro-India” outlets and vented their anger against them.

“Prothom Alo” said in a statement -“This terrorist attack is a clear example of a direct assault on democracy, press freedom, and the right to express dissent. We strongly condemn this incident and demand a proper investigation and that those responsible be identified and brought to justice.”

Different local and international journalists’ organisations protested the attacks, arson, and looting at the offices of “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star”

S.M. Rewan Ul Alam wrote that the events of the night of the 18th made it clear that Bangladesh was standing at a highly precarious crossroads. He said that these were not spontaneous outbursts of grief but were the product of an environment where anger is allowed to spread, responsibility is shirked, and violence is tacitly accepted as justified.

“When the state cannot clearly ensure the safety of journalists, it sends a dangerous message, that some forms of violence are tolerable. Democracies do not collapse in a single day. They weaken gradually, when the state hesitates and other forces move into the vacuum that hesitation creates.”

“The most troubling aspect of these attacks is that they were carried out by groups that are not part of the State, yet claim for themselves the role of supreme moral guardians. They say they are defending the nation, religion, or public sentiment. In reality, they operate outside the law and carry out violence in the name of patriotism.”

The writer blamed some media influences living abroad for inciting the violence and even suggesting targets, without caring that their people are going to be affected.

“At such a moment, the role of the state is paramount. Condemnation alone is not enough; action must be visible. The interim government must state clearly that violence against the media will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Arrests, trials, and accountability must be ensured, regardless of the identities claimed by the perpetrators. Remaining silent in the face of lawlessness, amounts to evading responsibility.”

Asif Bin Ali, a doctoral fellow, Georgia State University, US, writes in “Prothom Alo” that Bangladesh is witnessing shrines and dargahs being attacked across the country. In some cases, bodies have been dragged from graves and burned in public. In other places, attempts have been made to stop girls from playing football. Cultural spaces have been curtailed in many areas.

“Hardline elements of society now see themselves as the mainstream and envision a Bangladesh where there is no room for pluralism or diversity of thought. Even the government has at times softened their identity by referring to them as “pressure groups,” obscuring the true seriousness of the threat.”

“Instead of taking action against those who publicly called for violence, the government arrested a journalist as a show of appeasement. This sent a clear message to those pursuing a politics of hatred: ‘Say whatever you want, target whomever you want, and nothing will happen to you.’

This is fundamentally a failure of political will. Therefore, the responsibility now does not lie solely with the government, but also with those who still dream of a pluralistic Bangladesh, Asif bin Ali writes.

“”People must stand up and clearly declare that we want diversity across all parties and opinions; we demand freedom for newspapers, and security for journalists, artists, cultural activists, and their institutions.”