Friday, 19 December, 2025
The death of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho and a leading figure of the July Uprising, triggered immediate protests across Dhaka and Chattogram late on Thursday, as anger and grief spilled onto the streets demanding justice for what demonstrators called a political killing.
In the capital, supporters and activists of July Moncho gathered at Shahbagh, bringing traffic to a halt from around 10:30 pm. Chanting slogans and calling for the trial of those responsible, protesters mourned Hadi, who died in Singapore while undergoing treatment for gunshot injuries sustained in Dhaka.
Simultaneously, demonstrations broke out on the Dhaka University campus. Students from several residential halls marched to the Teacher–Student Centre (TSC) under the banner of Anti-Imperialist Students, staging a protest marked by emotional speeches and sharp criticism of the authorities.
Addressing the gathering, DUCSU Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair said the killing reflected a catastrophic failure of state protection.
“After thousands of lives have already been lost, why did we have to lose Hadi as well?” he asked. “The police knew, the killers were near him. The intelligence agencies knew. Yet Hadi was killed under their watch. If they did not know, then why are they paid?”
Accusing the interim government of negligence, Zubair said, “The so-called civilised discuss matters on talk shows, while we are being pushed into a killing field.”
He then led protesters in an oath, declaring: “We will all become Hadi. We will continue to fight, generation after generation.”
Another student organisation, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, brought out a procession near the TSC, chanting slogans including “Dhaka, not Delhi”, “Resist Indian aggression” and “One Hadi has fallen, a hundred thousand will rise”.
Hadi, a prospective independent candidate for the 13th parliamentary election from Dhaka-8, was shot on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw near the water tank area of Bijoynagar. According to witnesses, two men on a motorcycle approached the rickshaw and one of them fired at close range before fleeing.
Gravely wounded, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery, and later transferred to Evercare Hospital for intensive care. On Monday, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance for advanced treatment, but succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.
Neurosurgeon Abdul Ahad, who was involved in Hadi’s surgery in Dhaka, said in a video message that Singapore General Hospital had confirmed his death.
In Chattogram, protests erupted outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in the Khulshi area shortly before 11 pm. Demonstrators staged a sit-in and shouted slogans condemning Hadi’s killing, alongside anti-Awami League and anti-India chants.
Police moved swiftly to the scene and dispersed protesters from the mission’s gates. Khulshi Police Station chief Shahin Alam said officers had removed those gathered outside the premises and remained deployed to maintain order.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Inqilab Moncho said Hadi had been martyred in what it described as the “struggle against Indian hegemony”.
Meanwhile, unrest was reported in Dhaka after midnight when an attack involving arson was carried out at the Prothom Alo newspaper office building in Karwan Bazar, according to sources.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence confirmed receiving a fire alert at 12:28 am. “Units were dispatched immediately,” said duty officer Md Shahjahan, adding that details would be available after firefighters assessed the situation.
Sharif Osman bin Hadi rose to prominence during the July Uprising and the subsequent movement demanding a ban on the Awami League, emerging as one of the most outspoken and polarising political voices of the period. His killing has now ignited nationwide protests, deepening political tension and intensifying calls for accountability.
Comments
The death of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, convenor of Inqilab Moncho and a leading figure of the July Uprising, triggered immediate protests across Dhaka and Chattogram late on Thursday, as anger and grief spilled onto the streets demanding justice for what demonstrators called a political killing.
In the capital, supporters and activists of July Moncho gathered at Shahbagh, bringing traffic to a halt from around 10:30 pm. Chanting slogans and calling for the trial of those responsible, protesters mourned Hadi, who died in Singapore while undergoing treatment for gunshot injuries sustained in Dhaka.
Simultaneously, demonstrations broke out on the Dhaka University campus. Students from several residential halls marched to the Teacher–Student Centre (TSC) under the banner of Anti-Imperialist Students, staging a protest marked by emotional speeches and sharp criticism of the authorities.
Addressing the gathering, DUCSU Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair said the killing reflected a catastrophic failure of state protection.
“After thousands of lives have already been lost, why did we have to lose Hadi as well?” he asked. “The police knew, the killers were near him. The intelligence agencies knew. Yet Hadi was killed under their watch. If they did not know, then why are they paid?”
Accusing the interim government of negligence, Zubair said, “The so-called civilised discuss matters on talk shows, while we are being pushed into a killing field.”
He then led protesters in an oath, declaring: “We will all become Hadi. We will continue to fight, generation after generation.”
Another student organisation, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, brought out a procession near the TSC, chanting slogans including “Dhaka, not Delhi”, “Resist Indian aggression” and “One Hadi has fallen, a hundred thousand will rise”.
Hadi, a prospective independent candidate for the 13th parliamentary election from Dhaka-8, was shot on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw near the water tank area of Bijoynagar. According to witnesses, two men on a motorcycle approached the rickshaw and one of them fired at close range before fleeing.
Gravely wounded, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery, and later transferred to Evercare Hospital for intensive care. On Monday, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance for advanced treatment, but succumbed to his injuries on Thursday.
Neurosurgeon Abdul Ahad, who was involved in Hadi’s surgery in Dhaka, said in a video message that Singapore General Hospital had confirmed his death.
In Chattogram, protests erupted outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in the Khulshi area shortly before 11 pm. Demonstrators staged a sit-in and shouted slogans condemning Hadi’s killing, alongside anti-Awami League and anti-India chants.
Police moved swiftly to the scene and dispersed protesters from the mission’s gates. Khulshi Police Station chief Shahin Alam said officers had removed those gathered outside the premises and remained deployed to maintain order.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Inqilab Moncho said Hadi had been martyred in what it described as the “struggle against Indian hegemony”.
Meanwhile, unrest was reported in Dhaka after midnight when an attack involving arson was carried out at the Prothom Alo newspaper office building in Karwan Bazar, according to sources.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence confirmed receiving a fire alert at 12:28 am. “Units were dispatched immediately,” said duty officer Md Shahjahan, adding that details would be available after firefighters assessed the situation.
Sharif Osman bin Hadi rose to prominence during the July Uprising and the subsequent movement demanding a ban on the Awami League, emerging as one of the most outspoken and polarising political voices of the period. His killing has now ignited nationwide protests, deepening political tension and intensifying calls for accountability.
Comments
