Dhaka. After the death of Usman Hadi, Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka may appear calm on the surface, but this peace is full of fear, tension and uncertainty. There is silence on the streets, an atmosphere of panic prevails from university campuses to media institutions. Experts say that the minority community, especially the Hindu community, is feeling unsafe, while heavy police force has been deployed in sensitive areas of the city.
In fact, the situation deteriorated rapidly as soon as the news of the death of Usman Hadi during treatment in Singapore came out on the night of 18 December. As soon as the news of his death spread, furious crowds took to the streets of Dhaka. The crowd, which initially appeared as a protest, soon turned violent. Vandalism and attacks were carried out targeting media institutions, cultural centers and minority communities. After the cremation of Hadi’s body, the situation has been brought under control to some extent. Roads looked quiet in many areas and limited activity was visible in the markets.
The news related to Hadi’s funeral has been published prominently in most of the newspapers, but incidents of protests and outrage are still being reported in different parts of the city. Local people say that this peace is temporary and the situation can worsen again at any time. The way independent media was targeted during the violence has raised serious questions on the democratic structure of Bangladesh.
atmosphere of anxiety among minorities
The situation is even more worrying in minority areas. Many families of the Hindu community are forced to stay in their homes. Police security has been increased outside temples and sensitive areas. The administration claims that the situation is being monitored, but the fear has not yet gone away from the minds of common citizens. In such a situation, it is being said that even though there is silence in the streets of Bangladesh, it cannot be predicted when the volcano filled with anger of the youth will become active.
