Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of Bangladesh’s July Uprising and a key spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, died late Thursday while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore, days after he was shot in the head by masked gunmen in Dhaka. He was a candidate in the upcoming general elections scheduled for February 12.
Hadi had been critically injured last week when assailants opened fire on him in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area as he began his election campaign. Doctors in the capital described his condition as “extremely critical,” prompting the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to airlift him to Singapore on Monday for advanced medical care. Despite fighting for his life for six days, Hadi succumbed to his injuries.
In a televised address to the nation late Thursday night, Yunus confirmed Hadi’s death and pledged swift and uncompromising action against those responsible. “Today, I came before you with very heartbreaking news. Sharif Osman Hadi, the fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising, is no more among us,” Yunus said. He vowed that no leniency would be shown to the perpetrators and urged citizens to remain calm while law enforcement agencies carried out their investigation with professionalism.
VIDEO | Bangladesh's interim government chief Muhammad Yunus appeals for peace as Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising and a spokesperson of the Inqilab Manch who was shot last week, died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment at a Singapore hospital… pic.twitter.com/nej9SUJs3h
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Hadi’s death sparked an immediate outpouring of grief and anger across the country. Hundreds of students and citizens gathered at Shahbagh intersection near Dhaka University, chanting slogans such as “Who are you, who am I – Hadi, Hadi.” A student organisation, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, held a mourning procession on the university campus before marching to Shahbagh.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), an offshoot of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), joined the demonstrations and raised sharp anti-India slogans, alleging that Hadi’s attackers fled to India after the shooting. Some protesters demanded the closure of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka until the suspects were returned. NCP leader Sarjis Alam declared, “Until India returns the assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission will remain closed.”
As tensions escalated, parts of the protests turned violent. A group believed to be protesters attacked the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka’s Karwan Bazar area late Thursday night. Reports said several floors of the buildings were vandalised while journalists and staff were trapped inside. A fire was also set outside the premises. The reason behind targeting the media houses, both known to be broadly supportive of the interim government, remained unclear.
Elsewhere, demonstrators reportedly headed toward 32 Dhanmondi, the former residence of Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which had already been largely demolished earlier this year. In the port city of Chattogram, protesters set fire to the house of former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, with similar incidents reported from other parts of the country.
In his address, Yunus described Hadi as an “enemy of defeated forces and fascist terrorists,” an apparent reference to supporters of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and the now-disbanded Awami League. He said Hadi’s death represented an irreparable loss to Bangladesh’s political and democratic landscape and assured that the state would take responsibility for Hadi’s wife and only child.
The interim government announced a one-day state mourning on Saturday, with the national flag to be flown at half-mast across the country and at Bangladeshi missions abroad. Special prayers will also be held in mosques nationwide after Friday prayers.
Political leaders across the spectrum expressed condolences. BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman called Hadi’s killing a “grave reminder of the human cost of political violence” and urged unity to protect democratic aspirations. Jamaat-e-Islami also mourned his death.
Hadi’s family had reportedly consented to a high-risk surgery in Singapore just hours before his death as a last attempt to save him. Authorities have announced a reward of 5 million taka for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. Police have detained the parents, wife and a female friend of the prime suspect, Foysal Karim Masud.
As Bangladesh grapples with renewed unrest, Yunus appealed for restraint and unity, saying, “No one can stop the democratic progress of this country through threats, terror or bloodshed. The responsibility of fulfilling Hadi’s dream now lies with all of us.”