'Yunus regime had Osman Hadi killed to derail polls': Brother
What's the story
The assassination of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi has sparked widespread unrest and serious allegations against the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. His brother, Sharif Omar Hadi, accused the government of orchestrating the killing to disrupt upcoming national elections in February. Osman Hadi was shot at close range in Dhaka on December 12 and succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on December 18.
Unrest follows
Osman Hadi's death sparks violent protests
Osman Hadi was the spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho, a cultural group formed after the July 2024 uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. His assassination led to violent protests in Dhaka, with mobs vandalizing newspaper offices and cultural institutions. Addressing a protest gathering at Shahbagh, Omar accused the interim government of engineering his brother's assassination to foil elections.
Justice demand
Omar demands swift trial, warns of consequences
Omar demanded a speedy trial for his brother's killers and warned that failure to deliver justice could force others to flee Bangladesh. "If justice for Osman Hadi is not delivered, you too will be compelled to flee Bangladesh one day," he said. He alleged his brother was killed for not submitting to any agency or "foreign masters." Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Moncho, called Osman's killing part of a "deep conspiracy" against the July uprising and Bangladesh's sovereignty.
Diplomatic efforts
Government seeks to stabilize ties with India
Meanwhile, amid the ongoing unrest, Bangladesh's interim government's finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has sought to project stability on the diplomatic front. He said Chief Adviser Yunus has taken steps to repair relations with New Delhi. "The current interim government does not want any kind of bitter relationship with a big neighbor like India," Ahmed said The investigation into Osman Hadi's killing is still underway as political tensions mount ahead of the proposed election timeline.