Sunday, 21 December, 2025
The United Nations has strongly condemned the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi and urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure accountability through a prompt, impartial, and transparent investigation in line with international human rights standards.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his concern in a statement released on Friday. According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres also called on all parties in Bangladesh to exercise maximum restraint as the country prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026.
In his remarks, Guterres emphasised the urgent need to “refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint in order to preserve a peaceful electoral environment.” The Secretary-General’s statement came in the wake of Hadi’s targeted killing on 12 December, which has sparked nationwide unrest and heightened political tensions.
The killing also drew attention from the UN Human Rights Office. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was “deeply troubled” by Hadi’s death. In a statement issued from Geneva, Türk warned that “retaliation and revenge will only deepen divisions and undermine the rights of all,” echoing the Secretary-General’s calls for accountability and urging Bangladeshi authorities to take swift and transparent action against those responsible.
Guterres emphasised the urgent need to “refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint in order to preserve a peaceful electoral environment.”
Human rights experts highlighted that politically motivated attacks on opposition figures not only threaten the democratic process but also endanger civil liberties and the rule of law. “Ensuring a thorough investigation into Hadi’s killing is essential to maintain public trust in Bangladesh’s electoral and judicial institutions,” Türk added.
The UN’s response underscores international concern over the deteriorating security and political climate in Bangladesh following Hadi’s assassination. Analysts note that the timing of the killing, just months before the national elections, has amplified fears of violence, intimidation, and political destabilisation.
As Bangladesh approaches its elections, the UN’s call for accountability and restraint sends a strong signal to both government authorities and political actors: the path to a free and fair electoral process must be protected, and the memory of Hadi’s activism preserved through justice rather than revenge.
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The United Nations has strongly condemned the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi and urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure accountability through a prompt, impartial, and transparent investigation in line with international human rights standards.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his concern in a statement released on Friday. According to UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, Guterres also called on all parties in Bangladesh to exercise maximum restraint as the country prepares for parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026.
In his remarks, Guterres emphasised the urgent need to “refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint in order to preserve a peaceful electoral environment.” The Secretary-General’s statement came in the wake of Hadi’s targeted killing on 12 December, which has sparked nationwide unrest and heightened political tensions.
The killing also drew attention from the UN Human Rights Office. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said he was “deeply troubled” by Hadi’s death. In a statement issued from Geneva, Türk warned that “retaliation and revenge will only deepen divisions and undermine the rights of all,” echoing the Secretary-General’s calls for accountability and urging Bangladeshi authorities to take swift and transparent action against those responsible.
Guterres emphasised the urgent need to “refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint in order to preserve a peaceful electoral environment.”
Human rights experts highlighted that politically motivated attacks on opposition figures not only threaten the democratic process but also endanger civil liberties and the rule of law. “Ensuring a thorough investigation into Hadi’s killing is essential to maintain public trust in Bangladesh’s electoral and judicial institutions,” Türk added.
The UN’s response underscores international concern over the deteriorating security and political climate in Bangladesh following Hadi’s assassination. Analysts note that the timing of the killing, just months before the national elections, has amplified fears of violence, intimidation, and political destabilisation.
As Bangladesh approaches its elections, the UN’s call for accountability and restraint sends a strong signal to both government authorities and political actors: the path to a free and fair electoral process must be protected, and the memory of Hadi’s activism preserved through justice rather than revenge.
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