At least 50 individuals, including journalists, sustained injuries during clashes between law enforcement and Inqilab Mancha activists in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area. The confrontations involved police using baton charges, tear gas shells, and sound grenades to disperse the protesters. The incident occurred as tensions escalated following the interim government’s assumption of power in Bangladesh.
The clashes erupted around 7:50 p.m. on Friday when police tried to clear activists from the Shahbagh intersection. Demonstrators had gathered earlier in the day to demand justice for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi and called for a United Nations-led investigation. The situation intensified as protesters marched from Shahbagh towards Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’ residence at Jamuna.
Following the march, protesters breached police barricades at the InterContinental intersection before security forces intervened to disperse them. By approximately 10:30 p.m., the protesters had left the Shahbagh area after confrontations with law enforcement. Police used tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, with clashes continuing until around 9 p.m.
In the aftermath, security was heightened at the offices of prominent Bangladeshi newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. This precautionary measure followed violent clashes between police and Inquilab Mancha activists near the InterContinental intersection. The incident reignited memories of a previous attack on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star on December 18, which occurred after the death of Inquilab Mancha’s convenor, Sharif Osman Hadi.
The Dhaka University Journalists’ Association (DUJA) strongly condemned the reported attacks and intimidation faced by journalists during their coverage of the protests. DUJA highlighted instances where journalists, including Jugantor correspondent Abu Saleh Musa, were assaulted and injured by law enforcement while performing their duties. The association denounced the obstruction and assault on journalists as a severe attack on press freedom, demanding that those responsible be identified and brought to justice promptly.
