Protesters Bulldoze Rajshahi Awami League Office in Deadly Uproar

Rajshahi witnessed a night of unprecedented unrest as protesters, enraged by the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, the convenor of the Inquilab Manch, demolished the city’s Awami League office using bulldozers. The protests erupted late on Thursday, 18 December, continuing well into the early hours of Friday, reflecting the city’s deep political tensions.

The demolition began around 12:30 a.m. in Kumarpara, the heart of Rajshahi, where the city’s Awami League office stands. Eyewitnesses reported that the operation continued until around 4 a.m., with protesters using heavy machinery to systematically dismantle the building.

Earlier in the evening, demonstrators had gathered at prominent city locations, including Zero Point in Saheb Bazar and areas near Rajshahi University. The march was led by student and activist groups, including members of the July Manch and NSIP, who carried banners and chanted slogans demanding justice for Hadi. Their chants included “Tear down the Awami League fortress,” “Hadi’s death must be answered immediately,” and “Stop the people, end Indian aggression,” reflecting both local grievances and broader political concerns.

The protest gained further momentum when GS Salauddin Amma of Rajshahi University Central Student Council posted on his verified Facebook page at around 9:30 p.m., urging residents to gather in front of the Awami League office. He wrote that the city needed to resist “Indian imperialism and Awami fascism” and that the Awami League office would be “demolished tonight,” asking anyone with access to bulldozers to assist.

By 11:30 p.m., demonstrators congregated at Zero Point, shouting slogans demanding accountability for Hadi’s killers. Students from multiple halls of Rajshahi University joined the protest, bringing banners and marching under the banner of anti-imperialism. Their combined numbers and determination turned the demonstration into a forceful display of public outrage.

As the night progressed, bulldozers were brought to the Awami League office, and the destruction began in earnest. Walls were torn down, windows smashed, and the building’s facade reduced to rubble. The protest, while violent, was reportedly focused solely on the office itself, with no reports of civilian injuries.

Authorities have yet to issue a full statement on the incident, but the events have sparked national attention, raising questions about the intensity of political unrest and the role of student activism in Rajshahi.