'Can't Breathe': Journalists Trapped As Bangladesh Protesters Storm Offices Over Activist's Death

Last Updated:December 19, 2025, 07:59 IST

Violent protests erupted in Dhaka after a youth leader died from injuries sustained in a shooting, with demonstrators targeting major newspapers and trapping staff inside.

A group of people set fire to The Daily Star newspaper office building, following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader (Photo: Reuters)

Chaos erupted in Dhaka on Thursday night after the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, with demonstrators targeting the offices of major newspapers, including the Daily Star, trapping staff inside.

Amidst the unrest, Daily Star reporter Zyma Islam posted a harrowing message on Facebook in the early hours of Friday, mentioning that there was “too much smoke".

“I can’t breathe anymore. There’s too much smoke. I’m inside. You are killing me," she wrote.

Hadi, a 32-year-old spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha platform and a candidate in Bangladesh’s upcoming national elections, had been shot in the head by masked assailants on December 12 while campaigning in Dhaka.

He was initially treated at a local hospital before being flown to Singapore for advanced medical care, where he died after six days on life support, Reuters reported.

Following news of his death, violent protests swept through Dhaka and other cities.

AFP reported that “several buildings in the capital, including those housing the country’s two leading newspapers, were set on fire, with staff trapped inside."

Protesters accused the newspapers, including the Daily Star and Prothom Alo, of being aligned with India, where former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina now lives in self-imposed exile.

According to the Associated Press, firefighting officials said the blaze at the Daily Star was brought under control at around 1.40 am (1940 GMT Thursday), but 27 employees were still inside.

Ahmed Deepto, another Star reporter, told AFP that staff had taken refuge at the rear of the building and could hear protesters chanting slogans outside.

The unrest follows heightened political tension in Bangladesh after Sheikh Hasina fled to India in August 2024, with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus leading the interim administration.

Yunus addressed the nation in a televised speech following Hadi’s death, calling it “an irreparable loss for the nation" and emphasising that “the country’s march toward democracy cannot be halted through fear, terror, or bloodshed," AFP reported.

The country’s government has announced special prayers and declared Saturday a day of mourning, with flags to be flown at half-mast.

Meanwhile, authorities have launched a manhunt for Hadi’s shooters, releasing photographs of two key suspects and offering a reward for information leading to their arrest.

Violence was also reported in Chittagong, Rajshahi, and other cities, with demonstrators blocking roads and attacking private residences.

Reuters reported that the demonstrations were marked by slogans invoking Hadi’s name, with protesters vowing to continue their movement and demanding accountability for the attack.

Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in Dhaka to prevent further unrest, but many areas remained tense late into the night.

News world 'Can't Breathe': Journalists Trapped As Bangladesh Protesters Storm Offices Over Activist's Death

Read More