Massive protests in Bangladesh after anti-India radical dies

DHAKA: The death of Sharif Osman Hadi, an Islamic radical and well-known India-hater, plunged Bangladesh into anarchy with mobs rampaging through Dhaka and setting fire to buildings, including offices of the country's biggest newspapers, and protesters seeking to storm the residence of India's deputy high commissioner in Chittagong on Thursday night.Radicals seized control of streets in other parts and a mob set ablaze a Hindu man - 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das - in Mymensingh for alleged blasphemy. Violence also broke out in Rajshahi where the Indian consulate was attacked a couple of days ago. Journalists of Daily Star and Prathom Alo found themselves trapped when angry mobs torched their offices. They had a harrowing time before police, after multiple pleadings, including with senior functionaries of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim govt, came to their rescue. The govt appeared to downplay the pervasive lawlessness by describing the incidents of arson and vandalism as "mob violence committed by a few fringe elements". To many independent observers the large-scale violence and targeting of journalists, Hindus and India's diplomatic facilities marked the growing influence and numbers of radicals, the sense of immunity that they appear to have developed in recent months and law enforcement's inability, perhaps even unwillingness, to rein them in.Hadi, 32, one of the key figures in the violent protests that led to the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina and her escape to India last year, was grievously injured after masked men shot at him at a rally last week. The interim govt flew him to Singapore for treatment. He succumbed to injuries at the Singapore hospital.Journalists: Law enforcement agencies did nothing when mob ransacked offices & set building on fireNews of his death instantly triggered the mayhem, putting a big question mark on interim administrator Yunus’s hold over the administration.The govt said it strongly and unequivocally condemn all acts of violence, intimidation, arson, and destruction of properties. This is a critical moment in the nation’s history when they are making a historic democratic transition.In Dhaka, while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s memorial museum at Dhanmondi was attacked for the third time, with crowds trying to demolish whatever was left standing after previous attacks, the stone-throwing mob entered the Chhayanaut — an iconic institution promoting Bangla culture especially works of Rabindranath Tagore — and vandalised the cultural centre. The Hasina-led Awami League’s office in Rajshahi was bulldozed.On Friday evening, the central office of Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi, a cultural organisation, was set on fire. The govt also called upon people to honour Hadi by rejecting and resisting violence, incitement and hatred. Yunus has declared a day of mourning for Saturday in Hadi’s memory.Bangladesh has been rife with protests, including those against India, and political violence since the Feb 12 parliamentary election was announced on Dec 11. The country has been witnessing “anti-India” protests since Wednesday.On Wednesday, hundreds were stopped from marching towards the Indian high commission in Dhaka, while on Thursday, large crowds were halted from moving towards the assistant high commissions in Khulna and Rajshahi.Recalling the horrific scenes from the night, journalists of the newspapers said the mob ransacked offices and set the building on fire, “trapping a number of us inside while law enforcement agencies did nothing to prevent it”. The army arrived when the buildings were already burning and pushed the crowd back to allow fire trucks to come in and rescue staff, they added, describing law enforcement agencies as “inactive and ineffective”.The Daily Star said it was one of the darkest days for independent journalism in Bangladesh when two of its largest newspapers were attacked. “Our colleagues, trapped on the roof, feared for their lives as a mob vandalised one floor after another and set fire to the lower floors. Though at one point it became difficult for them to breathe because of the smoke, everyone has returned home safe,” it said.In Mymensingh, Das, a factory worker, was lynched over alleged blasphemy, in the latest incident of violence against the religious minority. Das was first beaten up on Thursday night and hanged from a tree, police said. “After the incident, the crowd left the body on the side of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and set it on fire,” inspector Abdul Malek said.