Violence erupted across Dhaka on Thursday (December 18, 2025) night, as news of the death of Sharif Osman Hadi’s death spread across Bangladesh. Hadi, the leader of radical Inquilab Mancha, had been shot at by unknown assailants on December 12 in Dhaka has passed away in Singapore. Bangladesh interim government’s Chief Adviser Prof Mohammed Yunus, in a speech announcing Hadi’s death said that all places of worship in Bangladesh will hold special prayers December 19, 2025.
The attack on Hadi had come just months ahead of the polls, and a day after the country’s Election Commission announced the polls schedule saying the 13th parliamentary election would be held on February 12, 2026. According to the police, three assailants on a motorbike shot Hadi as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area — from where he stood as an independent candidate — in the afternoon.
“Osman Hadi was shot at 2:25 p.m. in front of DR Tower on Box Culvert Road at Bijoynagar. We have initially learned that three assailants on a motorcycle shot him and fled the scene,” a spokesman of Dhaka police said, as per PTI. Hadi was initially rushed to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where he had been on life support system. Later, the interim government had announced that it would be airlifting Hadi to Singapore for better treatment.
A girl rescues books from a shop near the premises of the Prothom Alo daily newspaper which was set on fire by angry protesters after news reached the country from Singapore of the death of a prominent activist Sharif Osman Hadi, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on December 19, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
AP
The critically injured 32-year-old, however, passed away on Thursday. “No leniency will be shown” to the killers, Mr. Yunus said in an address to the nation, while declaring a day-long mourning on Saturday, saying the national flag will be hoisted at half-mast in all government, semi-government, autonomous offices, educational institutions, government and private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad.
Hadi — a key figure in August 2024 uprising
Sharif Osman Hadi, and his outfit Inquilab Mancha, had emerged as key figures in the July-August 2024 uprising in the country that had eventually led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. He has been described as an outspoken critic of India, and as “frontline” fighter of the July uprising.
Over the year, the Inquilab Mancha has emerged as a politically influential group that has been on the forefront of a campaign to disband Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. The Yunus-led interim government disbanded Hasina’s party in May this year disqualifying it from contesting the polls.
According to PTI, the group spearheads a campaign to arrest “all terrorists” of the disbanded Awami League from central to grassroots levels and ensure security of the “July warriors”.
The attack on Hadi has also made its way into the diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh
Earlier on Sunday (December 14), Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry had summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma to express its “serious concern” over the “incendiary statements” made by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India. During that meeting, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh indicated that the alleged assailants in this case might try to seek refuge in India and said, “The Ministry further sought India’s cooperation in preventing the escape to India of the suspects involved in the recent attempted assassination of Bangladeshi political leader Sharif Osman Hadi and, in case they manage to enter Indian territory, to ensure their immediate apprehension and extradition to Bangladesh.”
The Mancha had earlier warned it would stage a sit-in protest at Shahbagh intersection until the attackers were arrested. “If the killer flees to India, they must be arrested and brought back at any cost through discussions with the Indian government,” it said, as per PTI.
Anti-India slogans were raised in Thursday’s protest, with political offshoots such as the National Citizen Party alleging Hadi’s assailants have already fled to India after committing the murder. They called upon the interim government to close the Indian high commission until they were returned. “The interim government, until India returns assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission to Bangladesh will remain closed. Now or Never. We are in a war!,” said Sarjis Alm, a key leader of NCP.
Though Mr. Yunus called for patience in the country, and advised his countrymen to “propaganda and rumours, and refrain from any rash decisions,” he went on to describe Hadi as an “enemy to the defeated forces and fascist terrorists”, in an apparent reference to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s now disbanded Awami League.
“Their evil efforts to frighten the revolutionaries will be completely thwarted,” he added.
Earlier, while reacting to the attack, Mr. Yunus had claimed that “The objective of the conspirators is to derail the election. This attack is symbolic — meant to demonstrate their strength and sabotage the entire electoral process.”
Published – December 19, 2025 08:06 am IST
