Bangladesh: Inqilab Moncho holds protest rally in Dhaka over killing of Osman Hadi

DHAKA : Inqilab Moncho on Tuesday held a protest rally in Dhaka over the killing of Osman Hadi at Shahbagh in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

This comes after Inqilab Moncho on Monday concluded its protest at the Central Shaheed Minar after issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to the government, seeking justice for the killers. The platform also announced it would hold a “Shaheedi oath” ceremony at Shahbagh at 3 pm on Tuesday, according to Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber.

Inqilab Moncho has demanded that the killers of its convenor Osman Hadi be brought to justice before the 13th national election and the referendum takes place in Bangladesh, as reported by BDNews24 on Monday.

According to BDNews24, Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber of the group said at a media briefing on Monday that it will protest in the streets until justice is delivered.

“You can’t get away without informing [the people] who the murderer of Hadi was by just holding an election — this is not done. Justice [for Hadi] must be ensured before the election. Otherwise, no election will take place,” Inqilab Moncho leader was quoted as saying by BDNews24.

“Inqilab Moncho will not leave the streets until the murderers and their backers are brought to justice.”

On Monday, Bangladesh’s Law Adviser Asif Nazrul said the murder case of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, will be taken up by the Speedy Trial Tribunal to ensure timely justice, according to the Daily Star.

In a Facebook post, Asif Nazrul said the trial will be conducted under the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act, 2002. He added that, under Section 10 of the law, the trial must be completed within 90 days of the police submitting their investigation report, the Daily Star reported.

Separately, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said authorities have made progress in the investigation and are working to arrest the main accused, Faisal Karim Masud. He said the government is treating the case as a top priority and stressed that all those involved in the killing will be brought to justice.

Speaking after a meeting on the law and order situation at the Secretariat, Jahangir Alam said joint forces comprising police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have arrested 10 people so far. Those detained include the prime suspect’s wife, his parents, his brother-in-law, and the owner of the motorcycle allegedly used in the murder, Daily Star reported.

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot at close range on December 12 in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area, a day after the Election Commission announced that the next national election would be held on February 12. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment on December 15, but died from his injuries on December 18.

His death triggered widespread protests and calls for swift and exemplary punishment of those responsible. Inqilab Moncho, one of the prominent platforms that emerged during the July uprising, has warned that it will launch a mass movement to oust the interim government if justice is not delivered.

Hadi, a prominent leader of the July uprising that led to the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, was also being considered as a potential candidate from Dhaka-8 in the February 2026 national elections.

Following his death, the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus announced a national day of mourning on December 20 as protests continued in parts of Dhaka demanding justice for the slain leader. (ANI)