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Body of Bangladesh’s youth leader reaches Dhaka amid ‘violent protests’

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Body of Bangladesh’s youth leader reaches Dhaka amid ‘violent protests’


Body of Osman Hadi, Bangladeshs popular student leader, arrives at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2025. — X/@ChiefAdviserGoB
Body of Osman Hadi, Bangladesh’s popular student leader, arrives at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2025. — X/@ChiefAdviserGoB
  • Bangladeshis urged to resist violence committed by “fringe elements”.
  • Mobs vandalise media offices, attack Indian High Commission.
  • Violence to continue if justice not ensured, says activist.

The body of Osman Hadi, the popular student leader who was assassinated in Dhaka last Friday while launching his campaign for the elections, has reached the Bangladesh’s capital amid ongoing nationwide violent protests.

In a post on X, the interim government said a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Sharif Osman Hadi’s remains landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 5:48pm local time after departing from Singapore, where he was undergoing medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the interim administration urged people to resist violence as soldiers and police fanned out across Dhaka and other cities following protests, sparking fears of more unrest ahead of national elections in which he had been due to run.

The Muslim-majority nation of about 175 million people is due to elect a new parliament in less than two months’ time — a transition many hope will help the country recover from nearly two years of instability and reclaim its position as a South Asian development success story.

Frequent bouts of violent protests and political wrangling among disparate groups including hardliners have, however, punctured the national sense of euphoria that arose after student-led protests ousted powerful leader and longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

Supporters block the Shahbagh Square as they protest, demanding justice for the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been undergoing treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh December 19, 2025.— Reuters
Supporters block the Shahbagh Square as they protest, demanding justice for the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been undergoing treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh December 19, 2025.— Reuters

It has also exposed the limitations of the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, analysts said, raising questions over his grip on governance in the world’s second-largest apparel producer after China.

Hasina’s party, the Awami League, which has been barred from the February 12 vote, has threatened unrest that some fear could derail the election itself.

Newspaper, Indian mission targeted

Youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, was shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka last Friday while launching his campaign for the elections. He was a spokesperson for the Inquilab Mancha, or Platform for Revolution, and participated in the protests that overthrew Hasina.

Hadi, an outspoken critic of India as well, 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.

In Dhaka, videos circulating on social media showed mobs vandalising the offices of the country’s largest daily newspaper, Prothom Alo, as well as the Daily Star, on Thursday night.

People gather following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been receiving treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 18, 2025.— Reuters
People gather following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been receiving treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 18, 2025.— Reuters

The fire service said the blaze at the Daily Star was under control. Troops were deployed to the scene, and firefighters rescued journalists trapped inside the building.

Violence was also reported in a number of cities across Bangladesh, including the port city of Chittagong, where protesters attacked the Indian Assistant High Commission.

The unrest follows fresh anti-India protests this week, with ties between the neighbours deteriorating since Hasina fled to Delhi. On Wednesday, hundreds of demonstrators marched toward the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, chanting anti-India slogans and demanding Hasina’s return.

Although calm had returned to much of the country on Friday morning, protesters carrying national flags and placards continued demonstrating at Shahbagh in central Dhaka, chanting slogans and vowing not to return until justice was served.

Government blames ‘fringe elements’

The interim government urged the people of Bangladesh to resist all forms of mob violence, it said were committed by a “few fringe elements”.

“This is a critical moment in our nation’s history when we are making a historic democratic transition,” it said in a statement. “We cannot and must not allow it to be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace.”

The government told journalists at the Daily Star, Prothom Alo and New Age following the attacks on their offices that, “attacks on journalists are attacks on truth itself. We promise you full justice”.

A group of people set fire to the Prothom Alo newspaper office in Karwan Bazar, following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been receiving treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2025.— Reuters
A group of people set fire to the Prothom Alo newspaper office in Karwan Bazar, following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a student leader who had been receiving treatment in Singapore after being shot in the head, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 19, 2025.— Reuters

It also condemned the lynching of a Hindu man in Mymensingh district, who was beaten and set on fire over allegations of blasphemy in an unrelated incident, vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice.

Independent rights group Ain O Salish Kendra said in a statement that coordinated attacks on media outlets, cultural institutions and historical sites indicated the dangerous spread of extremist and violent thought in Bangladesh.

“This series of violence may remain a permanent crisis for the country’s human rights situation, democratic space and future generations,” if justice is not ensured and institutions protected, it said.





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White House briefly locked down after Secret Service shooting in Washington

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White House briefly locked down after Secret Service shooting in Washington


FBI agents walk outside the residence associated with Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association dinner in Washington, DC, in Torrance, California, US, April 25, 2026.— Reuters
FBI agents walk outside the residence associated with Cole Tomas Allen, the suspect in the shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, DC, in Torrance, California, US, April 25, 2026.— Reuters

The US Secret Service said on Monday it was on the scene of an officer-involved shooting in Washington in which one person was shot by law enforcement.

“US Secret Service personnel are on the scene of an officer-involved shooting at 15th Street and Independence Avenue in Washington, D.C. One individual was shot by law enforcement; their condition is currently unknown,” the Secret Service said in a statement on X. The White House was briefly locked down on Monday afternoon.

The DC Police Department said police were on the scene of the probe.

“The scene is secure. Avoid the area as roads will be closed for several hours,” police said in a statement.

Law enforcement agents have been on alert in recent days in the US capital following a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner late last month, over which a suspect has been arrested.


This is a developing story, and it is being updated with new developments.





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UAE says air defences engage Iranian missiles, drones as flights diverted

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UAE says air defences engage Iranian missiles, drones as flights diverted


Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 14, 2026. — Reuters
Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defenses, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, March 14, 2026. — Reuters
  • Iran denied targeting UAE.
  • Attacks disrupt inbound UAE flights.
  • Attacks injure three, reignite ME tensions.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats on Monday evening as firefighters battled a blaze at a major oil industry zone following a drone attack which authorities said had originated from Iran.

The Gulf Arab state’s foreign ministry said in a statement that the attacks marked a serious escalation and posed a direct threat to the country’s security, adding that the UAE reserved its “full and legitimate right” to respond.

Multiple flights bound for the UAE diverted to Muscat in Oman, while other inbound aircraft circled over Saudi Arabia, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24, as the attacks caused widespread disruption to air traffic.

Iranian state media, citing a senior military official, said Iran had no plan to target the UAE, whose defence ministry said earlier on X that it had intercepted three Iranian missiles over its territorial waters and a fourth crashed into the sea.

The drone attacks shattered a period of relative calm in the region since a Pakistani-mediated ceasefire between Washington and Tehran took effect on April 8, pausing more than a month of intense fighting in the Gulf region.

Civil defence teams were deployed immediately to contain the blaze at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, the Fujairah Media Office said in a statement, adding that three Indian citizens were moderately injured in the attack and taken to hospital.

By Monday evening, the ministry said air defence systems were actively engaging further missile and drone threats.

“All airports in the UAE are closed for the time (being),” the captain on one inbound flight to Dubai told passengers, adding that aircraft would be diverted to the Omani capital.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy issued a map it said showed an expansion of areas under Iranian control near the Strait of Hormuz, encompassing the UAE ports of Fujairah and Khorfakkan as well as the coast of the Umm Al Quwain emirate, Iranian news agencies reported.

During the period of intense conflict earlier this spring, the UAE said it had intercepted and destroyed thousands of drones and missiles.

UAE authorities on Monday issued mobile phone alerts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi warning of the possibility of missile attacks.

Monday’s strike was not the first time Fujairah’s energy infrastructure had been targeted. A drone attack on March 14 had previously hit the Port of Fujairah, triggering fires and the suspension of some oil-loading operations.

Fujairah has been critical to UAE oil exports during the Iran war as it sits at the end of the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline, which carries crude from inland fields to the Gulf of Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

This has allowed the UAE to continue shipping oil to global markets even as the waterway remained under threat.





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Iran says it forced US warship back from Strait of Hormuz

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Iran says it forced US warship back from Strait of Hormuz



Iran said it had forced a US warship to turn back from entering the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, although US Central Command quickly denied a report of a missile strike.

A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iran had fired a warning shot and that it was unclear whether the warship had been damaged.

Oil prices jumped 5% on renewed concerns that the vital oil route, already shut for over two months at huge cost to the global economy, would remain blocked for considerably longer, with little sign of progress towards a negotiated resolution of Washington’s conflict with Iran.

Iran’s navy said it had prevented “American-Zionist” warships from entering the Strait area by issuing a “swift and decisive warning”.

Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency said two missiles had hit the warship near the port of Jask at the southern entrance to the strait, but Centcom denied that any warship had been struck.

It said its forces were supporting President Donald Trump’s “Project Freedom”, which aims to “guide out” commercial ships stranded in the Gulf by the US-Israeli war on Iran, and were enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports.

Trump gave few details of his plan to aid ships and their crews who have been confined to the vital waterway and are running low on food and other supplies. Shipping companies gave no sign of being ready to resume sailings.

“We have told these Countries that we will guide their Ships safely out of these restricted Waterways, so that they can freely and ably get on with their business,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social site on Sunday.

Iranian military’s warning

In response to Trump’s announcement, Iran’s unified command told commercial ships and oil tankers to refrain from any movement that was not coordinated with Iran’s military.

“We have repeatedly said the security of the Strait of Hormuz is in our hands and that the safe passage of vessels needs to be coordinated with the armed forces,” Ali Abdollahi, head of the forces’ unified command, said in the statement.

“We warn that any foreign armed forces, especially the aggressive US Army, will be attacked if they intend to approach and enter the Strait of Hormuz.”

Iran has blocked nearly all shipping into and out of the Gulf apart from its own since the start of the war, cutting off around a fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments and sending oil prices soaring by 50% or more.

Centcom said it would support Trump’s “Project Freedom” with 15,000 military personnel and more than 100 land- and sea-based aircraft, plus warships and drones.

“Our support for this defensive mission is essential to regional security and the global economy as we also maintain the naval blockade,” Admiral Brad Cooper, the Centcom commander, said in a statement.

‘Convoys not a solution’
Hundreds of commercial vessels and as many as 20,000 seafarers have been unable to transit the strait during the conflict, the International Maritime Organisation says.

Container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd said on Monday its risk assessment was unchanged and that transit through the strait was still not possible.

Numerous executives from the shipping and oil industries have said they need an end to hostilities and some form of peace deal because military convoys alone are not enough to allow normal traffic to resume safely.

The United Arab Emirates accused Iran of attacking an empty crude oil tanker belonging to the Abu Dhabi state oil firm ADNOC with drones as it attempted to pass through the strait.

In a rare piece of good news, Pakistan said the US had handed over 22 crew from an Iranian container vessel that American forces had seized last month.

Islamabad, which has been trying to broker a peace deal, described the US move as a “confidence-building measure”.

The Trump administration has been seeking help from other countries to secure shipping in the Strait. Centcom said the latest effort announced by Trump would combine “diplomatic action with military coordination”.

It was not immediately clear which countries the US operation would aid or how the operation would work. It will not necessarily include US Navy ships escorting commercial ships, Axios reporter Barak Ravid said in a post on X.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump said any interference with the US operation would have to be “dealt with forcefully”.

Iran reviews US response to peace proposal

The United States and Israel suspended their bombing campaign against Iran four weeks ago, and US and Iranian officials held one round of face-to-face talks. But attempts to set up further meetings have failed.

Iranian state media said on Sunday Washington had conveyed its response to a 14-point Iranian proposal via Pakistan, and that Tehran was now reviewing it. Neither side gave details.

A senior Iranian official has confirmed that Tehran envisages ending the war on all fronts — including Israel’s attacks on Lebanon — and resolving the shipping standoff first, while leaving talks on Iran’s nuclear programme for later.

Washington wants Tehran to give up its stockpile of more than 400kg (900 pounds) of highly enriched uranium, which the United States says could power a bomb.

Iran says its nuclear programme is peaceful, although it is willing to discuss some curbs in return for the lifting of sanctions. It had accepted such curbs in a 2015 deal that Trump abandoned.

Trump is under pressure to break Iran’s hold on the Strait of Hormuz to try to prevent soaring gasoline prices, causing a voter backlash against his Republican Party in midterm congressional elections in November.



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