Dhaka (Web Desk): A massive crowd assembled in Dhaka on Saturday amid strict security arrangements to pay their final respects to Sharif Osman Hadi, a young political figure, whose killing has intensified tensions across Bangladesh.
The funeral drew tens of thousands of mourners, including interim government head Muhammad Yunus, senior military officials, and representatives of various political groups.
The deceased, 32-year-old Hadi, had risen to prominence during last year’s student-led uprising that ended the long tenure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. He was shot in the head by masked gunmen in the capital last week while formally launching his campaign for the parliamentary elections scheduled for February. After remaining on life support for six days, Hadi passed away on Thursday at a hospital in Singapore.
News of his death sparked a surge of unrest across the country, with organised groups carrying out attacks on leading newspapers and cultural institutions. To prevent further violence during the funeral, police and paramilitary units were deployed across the capital. Authorities later confirmed that the ceremony concluded without any fresh disturbances.
Addressing the mourners, Yunus said Hadi’s struggle and vision would not fade, calling the funeral a moment of collective resolve. “Today, we have come to promise you that we will fulfil what you stood for,” he said, as the crowd listened in quiet reflection.
In an exceptional tribute, Hadi was buried on the grounds of Dhaka University, beside the resting place of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, highlighting the symbolic weight of his role in the country’s recent history.
Bangladesh is preparing to elect a new parliament on February 12, a process widely viewed as a crucial step toward restoring stability after nearly two years of political uncertainty. Many see the vote as an opportunity for the Muslim-majority nation of 175 million to move beyond turmoil and rebuild confidence at home and abroad.
However, repeated episodes of street violence and deep political rivalries have dampened the initial optimism that followed Hasina’s removal from office in August 2024. Analysts say the unrest has exposed the constraints facing Yunus’s interim administration and raised doubts about its ability to maintain order in the world’s second-largest garment-exporting country after China.
The government marked Saturday as a day of national mourning in Hadi’s memory and appealed to citizens to reject what it described as violence driven by fringe elements. Officials warned that continued instability could seriously endanger the country’s fragile democratic transition.
Human Rights Watch condemned Hadi’s killing as a “terrible act” and urged the authorities to act swiftly to curb the violence that has persisted since Hasina’s ouster. The organisation also criticised attacks on media outlets, calling them a direct blow to freedom of expression.
Bangladesh ranks 149th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index, and rights advocates caution that ongoing assaults on journalists and activists risk further narrowing civic space ahead of the elections.
Amnesty International called for prompt and independent investigations into both Hadi’s killing and the subsequent unrest, including the torching of newspaper offices and the intimidation of journalists.
Protests continued on Friday in Dhaka’s Shahbagh area, where demonstrators demanded justice for Hadi and accountability for those responsible for the attacks. During the unrest, a crowd forced its way into the Dhaka office of Udichi Shilpigosthi, one of the country’s leading progressive cultural organisations.
The violence has not been confined to the capital. In the port city of Chittagong, protesters targeted the Indian Assistant High Commission, reflecting a rise in anti-India sentiment since Hasina sought refuge in New Delhi after her removal from power.
Meanwhile, Hasina’s Awami League, which has been barred from contesting the upcoming election, has threatened further agitation, stoking fears that sustained unrest could disrupt or derail the vote.