Protests erupt across Bangladesh after July Uprising leader Sharif Osman Hadi dies from gunshot wounds in Singapore, prompting state mourning, calls for calm, and heightened political tensions
DHAKA, Dec 19: Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of Bangladesh’s July Uprising and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, has died in Singapore after being critically injured in a shooting last week.
Hadi was shot in the head by masked gunmen while launching his election campaign in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.
He had been airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment on the orders of the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, after doctors in Dhaka described his condition as extremely critical.
Hadi fought for his life for six days before succumbing to his injuries.
In a televised address, Yunus announced Hadi’s death, calling it a heartbreaking loss for the nation. He vowed swift justice for those responsible, promising no leniency for the killers, and urged citizens to remain calm and allow law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations professionally.
He also described Hadi as a fearless revolutionary and said the government was fully committed to upholding the rule of law.
A one-day state mourning was declared, with flags to be flown at half-mast and special prayers to be held nationwide. Yunus also said the state would take responsibility for Hadi’s wife and only child.
Following the announcement, hundreds of students and protesters gathered at Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka, chanting slogans in Hadi’s memory.
Student group Jatiya Chhatra Shakti organised a mourning procession, joined by the National Citizen Party (NCP), an offshoot of the Students against Discrimination movement.
Some protesters raised anti-India slogans, alleging the attackers fled to India, and demanded the closure of the Indian High Commission until the suspects were returned.
The protests later turned violent. Groups attacked and vandalised the offices of newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area, trapping journalists inside and setting fires outside the buildings.
Reports also emerged of attacks on properties linked to former ruling party figures in other parts of the country, including Chattagram.
Political parties across the spectrum, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami, expressed condolences. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman described Hadi’s killing as a grim reminder of the cost of political violence.
Authorities have announced a reward for information leading to the arrest of the suspects, and police have detained family members of the prime suspect as investigations continue. (PTI)
