Violence broke out in Dhaka on December 19 following the death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in Bangladesh’s 2024 pro-democracy uprising, who died in Singapore from injuries sustained in an assassination attempt. As news of his death spread, protesters attacked, vandalized, and set fire to several buildings, including the offices of leading national dailies Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, as well as the cultural institution Chhayanaut. Windows were smashed, fires burned inside and outside media offices, staff were trapped inside, and the scale of destruction became clear in daylight—intensifying concerns over public safety and press freedom.