Osman Hadi Killing: Brother Accuses Yunus Administration of Election Sabotage

Fresh political controversy has erupted in Bangladesh after Sharif Omar Hadi, the brother of slain anti-India student leader and Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, alleged that a “government-backed vested quarter” was responsible for his brother’s murder. According to a report by thedailystar.net, Omar Hadi claimed the killing was a calculated move to destabilise the political environment ahead of the national elections.

Addressing the Yunus administration during a “Shahidi Shopoth” (Martyr’s Oath) programme organised by Inqilab Moncho in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh, Omar Hadi made a direct and fiery accusation. “It is you who had Osman Hadi killed, and now you are trying to foil the election by using this as an issue,” he told the crowd.

His remarks were met with loud slogans and renewed calls for justice, as supporters accused the interim administration of failing to ensure security for political activists and of allowing violence to shape the national narrative ahead of the polls.

Omar Hadi urged the authorities to refrain from creating uncertainty around the election process, stressing that his brother firmly believed the general election should be held within the promised timeline. He said Osman Hadi wanted the polls to take place by February, warning that continued instability would only deepen public mistrust.

“Ensure a speedy trial of the killers so the electoral environment is not damaged. We have not seen any visible improvement from the government,” Omar Hadi said, as quoted by The Daily Star. He further warned, “If justice for Osman Hadi is not delivered, you too will be forced to leave Bangladesh one day.”

Intensifying his allegations, Omar Hadi claimed that his brother was targeted because he refused to submit to what he described as “foreign masters” or any external agency. He portrayed Osman Hadi as a defiant political voice who stood against both internal and external pressure.

The protest also featured speeches from senior leaders of Inqilab Moncho. According to The Daily Star, the group’s Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber reiterated the administration’s earlier commitment to identify and arrest the perpetrators within 30 working days, a deadline that had been announced in an official statement earlier this week.

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area while travelling in a battery-powered rickshaw. Media reports stated that two assailants on a motorcycle pulled alongside the vehicle and shot him at close range, striking him in the head before fleeing the scene.

He was first rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors confirmed severe brain stem injuries. Given the seriousness of his condition, Hadi was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment.

Despite medical intervention, Osman Hadi succumbed to his injuries on December 18. His death triggered widespread protests across Bangladesh, with demonstrators blocking roads and gathering at major intersections, including the Shahbagh crossroads in Dhaka, demanding immediate arrests and accountability.

The killing has since become a flashpoint in Bangladesh’s volatile political climate, with opposition voices alleging state complicity and warning that unresolved violence could undermine the credibility of the upcoming elections.