Dhaka (TDI): Protests continued across major cities in Bangladesh on Sunday as Inqilab Moncho and allied groups staged blockades demanding justice for the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
Hadi, a vocal critic of India who participated in last year’s mass uprising, was shot by masked assailants in Dhaka earlier this month and later died in a Singapore hospital. Demonstrations affected cities including Dhaka, Chattogram, Rajshahi, Gazipur, Barishal, Cumilla, and Khulna, with the Shahbagh intersection in Dhaka blocked for the third consecutive day.
Naim Islam, a central member of Inqilab Moncho, criticized the administration for delays, saying, “The government must disclose who is pressuring whom. The real killer must be brought to justice.”
Authorities, however, emphasized that the investigation is ongoing. Home Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said 11 arrests have been made, including the wife and parents of alleged mastermind Faisal Karim Masud. Some arrestees and witnesses have provided statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
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Chowdhury assured the public that a speedy trial tribunal will hear the case and that the trial will conclude within the tenure of the current interim government.
Meanwhile, police reported that the main suspects had fled to India via the Haluaghat border on December 12 and were reportedly assisted by Indian citizens in Meghalaya before being handed over to accomplices. Bangladeshi investigators are coordinating with Indian authorities, who have arrested two suspected accomplices.
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The murder has intensified pressure on the interim government ahead of the February general elections, raising concerns about cross-border implications and domestic political stability.
