Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Saturday pledged to carry forward the ideals of youth leader Osman Hadi, addressing tens of thousands of mourners at his funeral in Dhaka as tight security remained in place across the capital amid ongoing unrest.
Calling the funeral a collective promise, Yunus said the nation would honour what Hadi stood for, adding that the young leader’s legacy would endure. He described Hadi as an example of humility and grace in politics and vowed to elevate Bangladesh’s political culture by following his principles. The gathering was attended by senior political leaders, representatives from across the political spectrum and the country’s army chief.
Osman Hadi, 32, a prominent figure in last year’s student-led uprising that led to the ouster of longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina, was shot in the head by masked assailants in Dhaka last week while launching his campaign for the February elections. He died in Singapore on Thursday after spending six days on life support.
His killing has sparked fresh instability in Bangladesh, with coordinated mob attacks reported on major newspapers and cultural institutions, raising concerns that the violence could derail the country’s fragile democratic transition. Authorities deployed police and paramilitary forces across Dhaka for the funeral, though no fresh violence was reported during the ceremony.
In a rare symbolic honour, Hadi was laid to rest on the Dhaka University campus beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. Bangladesh is scheduled to elect a new parliament on February 12, a vote seen as crucial for restoring stability after nearly two years of political turmoil.