SRINAGAR: The funeral of Sharif Osman Hadi, the 32-year-old youth leader whose killing has triggered widespread unrest across Bangladesh, was held on Saturday amid unprecedented security arrangements, underscoring the volatile political climate gripping the country, Dhaka media reported.
Thousands gathered at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad complex on Manik Mia Avenue to attend the janaza of Hadi, the spokesperson of the political and cultural platform Inqilab Mancha and a prominent face of 2024’s student-led uprising that led to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. The funeral was attended by interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, members of his advisory council, and Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman, reflecting the gravity the state has attached to the fallout from Hadi’s death.
Addressing mourners ahead of the prayers, Yunus described Hadi as a symbol of resistance and said his ideals would continue to guide the nation. Political leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) also joined the prayers. The government declared a day of state mourning to mark Hadi’s death.
Hadi, a vocal critic of Sheikh Hasina and a staunch opponent of what he described as Bangladesh’s growing political dependence on India, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a battery-powered rickshaw in Dhaka’s Purana Paltan area. He was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18. His killing has since become a rallying point for anger on the streets, particularly among student groups and opposition activists.
Following the announcement of his death, violent protests erupted in Dhaka and several other cities. Demonstrators torched the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, while the residence of former Awami League minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel was also set on fire. In Chattogram, protesters attacked the residence of India’s Assistant High Commissioner, further straining already tense diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.
The unrest has also taken a grim human toll. In Lakshmipur, a seven-year-old girl, Ayesha Akter, was burnt to death after an angry mob allegedly set fire to the home of BNP leader Belal Hossain in the early hours of Saturday. Three other family members sustained critical burn injuries, according to local police and fire service officials.
Amid these developments, Dhaka University became another focal point of symbolic protest. Students renamed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall as “Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi Hall,” removing the existing nameplate and replacing it overnight. The hall union said the move was intended to honour Hadi’s role in the July Uprising, though the decision is likely to deepen political polarisation on campus.
Hadi was buried later on Saturday beside the mausoleum of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University Central Mosque. His elder brother, Abu Bakar, led the funeral rites. Authorities said the body was not kept for public viewing, and access to the burial was restricted to select individuals due to security concerns. The grave was prepared overnight under heavy police and military escort.
During the funeral prayers, tens of thousands of mourners were allowed to gather. They resorted to sloganeering and vowed that Hadi’s death would not be in vain. Police maintained a strong presence, wary of further violence.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the killing has intensified. Faisal Karim Masud has been identified as the prime suspect, though police said on Sunday that they have no confirmed information about his whereabouts. Dhaka courts have imposed a travel ban on Masud, while his wife, brother-in-law and a close associate have been placed on remand for further interrogation. Investigators say the killing appears to be politically motivated and part of a broader conspiracy to destabilise the country ahead of the next national election. Masud was leader of the Chatra wing of the BNP, reports added.
As Bangladesh remains on high alert, Hadi’s funeral has become more than a final farewell. It has emerged as a powerful political moment, crystallising public anger, sharpening political divisions, and raising urgent questions about law and order, accountability, and the country’s fragile transition following last year’s upheaval.
