Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 21 : Senior Bangladeshi journalist and Editor of Dhaka Tribune Reaz Ahmad has strongly criticised the violence that broke out in Bangladesh following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Osman Hadi, saying the unrest exposed serious failures in law and order and set a bad example ahead of the national election.
Speaking toon the situation, Ahmad said public anger and grief over Hadi's killing were understandable, but noted that fringe elements used the moment to trigger violence. "Taking that as an excuse, some fringe elements within the massive crowd expressing their grief and sympathies turned extremely violent," he said, adding that the state should never tolerate such actions.
Osman Hadi, a young political activist and a prominent figure associated with last year's July uprising, was shot at close range on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka's Bijoynagar area. He suffered a bullet injury to the head and was later airlifted to Singapore for better treatment. Despite medical efforts, he died on December 18.
Following his death, large protests erupted across the capital as supporters demanded justice. Multiple waves of protests were reported on Friday, coinciding with the arrival of Hadi's body in Dhaka. While many gatherings remained peaceful, several turned violent, with attacks reported on media houses and cultural institutions.
Ahmad said the government could have prevented the unrest with better planning. "The government would have done a better job had there been pre-emptive measures; we could definitely avoid such developments," he said, calling the attacks on two leading newspapers and cultural offices "a really bad example" for the nation.
The violence drew condemnation from within Bangladesh and abroad. Ahmad stressed that denunciations alone were not enough and urged authorities to fully regain control of the situation. "The state should not tolerate it. People denounced it at home and also from abroad. Denouncement is everywhere, but the government has to actually take the law and order situation under complete grip," he said.
Hadi's funeral prayers were held on Saturday and drew a large crowd. In line with his family's wishes, he was buried beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
With Bangladesh's general election scheduled for February 12, Ahmad warned that attacks on the press at this stage could have serious consequences. He said such incidents risk spreading fear among journalists and could affect freedom of expression during the election period.
"Our election is just around the corner," he said. "If such attacks are meant to actually infect fear among the free press advocates, to some extent the attackers thought that they had been successful." However, he added that strong public support for free media must be matched by firm government action.
Ahmad called on authorities to identify and punish those responsible for the violence. He said decisive action would reassure media professionals and ensure they can work freely in the run-up to the polls.
Bangladesh is now facing renewed questions over security, press freedom and political stability, as the government comes under pressure to prevent further unrest and protect democratic processes in the weeks ahead.
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