The namaz-e-janaza of Inqilab Manch spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi was held on Saturday afternoon at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, with thousands of people in attendance.
The funeral, led by Hadi’s elder brother Abu Bakar Siddique, began at around 2:30pm.
Among those present were Chief Adviser to the interim government Dr Muhammad Yunus, members of the advisory council, and senior leaders from various political parties, including the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the NCP.
Following the funeral, Hadi’s body was scheduled to be taken to Dhaka University, where he will be buried beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, said Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed.
A large number of law enforcement personnel, including members of the army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), were deployed in and around the parliament complex. Police set up checkpoints and conducted searches, placing the area under tight security.
Meanwhile, Inqilab Manch Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber called on supporters to proceed to Shahbagh after the funeral.
“We did not come here to mourn. We came to demand justice for our brother,” he said, urging supporters to refrain from responding to any calls for violence. He added that all future decisions would be announced by Inqilab Manch.
Jaber also said that the attackers involved in Hadi’s killing had yet to be arrested, even a week after the incident. He demanded that the home affairs adviser and special assistant to the chief adviser, Khoda Baksh Chowdhury, brief the public within the next 24 hours on the steps taken so far.
Osman Hadi died at Singapore General Hospital at around 9:30pm on Thursday while undergoing treatment.
He was shot in the head by unidentified assailants on December 12 on Box Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, a day after the announcement of the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election and referendum. He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later shifted to Evercare Hospital, and eventually flown to Singapore by air ambulance on December 15. His body was brought back to Bangladesh on Friday evening.
