‘You too will be compelled to flee’: Osman Hadi’s brother warns Yunus-led interim govt

The brother of assassinated Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi has levelled serious allegations against the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, claiming the killing was carried out by elements within the state to sabotage the upcoming national elections.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent student leader and convener of Inqilab Moncho, was shot while exiting a mosque in Dhaka earlier this month. He later succumbed to his injuries during treatment at a hospital in Singapore, plunging Bangladesh into fresh political turmoil.

Addressing the interim government at a “Shahidi Shopoth” programme organised by Inqilab Moncho in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh on Tuesday, Hadi’s brother, Omar Hadi, alleged that a section of those in power was behind the killing.

“It is you who had Osman Hadi killed, and now you are trying to foil the election by using this as an issue,” Omar Hadi was quoted as saying by The Daily Star. He alleged that the murder was aimed at destabilising the electoral process ahead of the February 12 general election, in which the 32-year-old leader was a candidate.

Warning of a Hasina-like fate

Issuing a stern warning to the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, Omar Hadi cautioned that those in power could meet a fate similar to that of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina if justice is delayed.

“Ensure the trial of the killers quickly so that the election environment is not hindered. The government has failed to present any visible progress before us. If justice for Osman Hadi is not served, you too will be compelled to flee Bangladesh one day,” he said.

Sharif Osman Hadi was among the key figures in the student-led uprising that forced Sheikh Hasina to resign in August 2024 and flee to India, where she remains in exile. His brother further claimed that Hadi was targeted because he refused to submit to any agency or “foreign masters.”

Unrest after Hadi’s death

Hadi’s killing triggered widespread outrage across Bangladesh. Protests erupted after news of his death broke on December 18, with demonstrators vandalising buildings and setting fire to offices of media outlets.

Amid the chaos, a Hindu worker, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched by a mob along the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway in the Jamirdia Dubaliapara area. His body was reportedly tied to a tree and set ablaze, further deepening fears of escalating violence and instability in the country.