Fresh protests broke out on Friday near the Indian mission in Rajshahi, a city in western Bangladesh. The unrest came just hours after security forces stopped a large group from trying to storm the Indian assistant high commission in Chittagong in the south.

Over the past few days, demonstrations have taken place near the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and assistant high commissions in Chittagong, Khulna and Rajshahi. Protesters took to the streets after the shooting of radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi last week. Tensions rose further after Hadi died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday.

Indian Diplomats Safe but Situation Remains Tense

People aware of the developments said the situation outside Indian missions in Bangladesh remains tense. Speaking on condition of anonymity, they confirmed that all Indian diplomats and officials are safe.

They also said Bangladeshi police and security forces did not act in time during earlier protests, including in Chittagong on Thursday. Authorities stepped in only when protesters came dangerously close to the Indian missions.

India Raises Security Concerns With Bangladesh

On Wednesday, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi. Indian officials expressed concern over the worsening security situation in Bangladesh.

India also raised alarm about threats from extremist elements targeting the Indian mission in Dhaka. Hamidullah was told that India expects the interim government to protect diplomatic missions and posts, in line with international diplomatic obligations.

Fears of More Unrest After Friday Prayers

Indian authorities are preparing for continued protests after Friday prayers. Officials fear the situation could worsen once Hadi’s body is brought back to Bangladesh from Singapore.

Hadi was taken abroad for treatment after he was shot in Dhaka on December 12.

Student groups involved in the protests have accused the Awami League, the party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, of being linked to Hadi’s killing. Hasina is currently in self-exile in India. However, no evidence has surfaced to support these claims.

Violence in Chittagong and Rajshahi

Late on Thursday, clashes broke out outside the Indian assistant high commission in Chittagong. Four people were injured, including two police officers. According to Bangladesh’s UNB news agency, protesters threw bricks and vandalised the premises. Police detained 12 people under the Anti-Terrorism Act, officials said.

Tensions also rose in Rajshahi when police stopped a march towards the Indian assistant high commission. This led to brief scuffles between protesters and security forces. People familiar with the situation said radical and anti-India groups are more active in Rajshahi, raising the risk of further unrest.

“The authorities have not stepped in to quell unsubstantiated reports of an Indian link to Hadi’s killing and have created this situation,” one of the people said.

Interim Government Appeals for Calm

Bangladesh’s interim government has declared Saturday a day of state mourning for Hadi. On Friday, it urged citizens to stay calm and reject violence.

In a statement, the caretaker government led by Muhammad Yunus asked people to “resist all forms of mob violence committed by a few fringe elements”.

While condemning violence, intimidation and arson, the government warned that the democratic transition “must not…be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace”.

Call to Protect Democratic Process

Referring to the general election and constitutional referendum scheduled for February 12, the interim government called them a “solemn national commitment”.

It urged citizens to honour Hadi’s memory through restraint and by rejecting hatred.

Government Condemns Lynching of Hindu Man

The interim government also condemned the killing of a Hindu man in Mymensingh.

“There is no space for such violence in new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared,” the statement said.

According to BBC Bangla, Dipu Chandra Das, a 30-year-old garment factory worker, was beaten to death by a mob in the Bhaluka area of Mymensingh on Thursday night. The attackers accused him of blasphemy. His body was tied to a tree and set on fire.