DHAKA – Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent spokesperson for the student-led movement Inqilab Mancha and a key figure in Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising, has died in Singapore after sustaining critical injuries in a gun attack in Dhaka.
Hadi, aged 32, was shot on 12 December while travelling in a battery-powered rickshaw in the Purana Paltan area of the capital. Witnesses reported that the assailant fired from a motorcycle that had been following him.
He was initially rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where emergency surgery was performed to address severe head injuries. Doctors later transferred him to Evercare Hospital before he was airlifted to Singapore General Hospital on 15 December.
Medical teams in Singapore confirmed that despite intensive treatment, Hadi succumbed to his injuries on Thursday evening. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore issued a statement acknowledging his death, while Inqilab Mancha announced the news through social media.
Saeed Hasan, convener of the Dhaka University unit of the organisation, confirmed that Hadi passed away at 9:45pm Bangladesh time.
Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, had visited Hadi in hospital earlier in the week and informed Bangladesh’s interim leader, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, that his condition was extremely grave.
Hadi was widely recognised as a frontline activist during the July uprising that led to the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He was also being considered as a potential candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming national elections scheduled for February.
Law enforcement agencies have identified Faisal Karim Masud as the suspected gunman, with Alamgir Sheikh alleged to have driven the motorcycle during the attack. Investigators believe the pair fled across the border into India.
Police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have detained at least 14 individuals linked to the case, including family members of the prime suspect and associates accused of assisting in the escape.
Authorities have since released photographs of the suspects and announced a reward of five million taka (approximately USD 42,000) for information leading to their capture. Reports from The Daily Star indicate that more than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the killing, though investigations remain ongoing.
Condolences have poured in from political parties and civil society groups. The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) acting chairman Tareq Rahman described Hadi’s death as a “deeply saddening loss,” while the National Citizen Party (NCP) issued a statement expressing sorrow and solidarity with his family.
Interim government head Muhammad Yunus addressed the nation, calling Hadi’s death “an irreparable loss” and warning that the attack was intended to destabilise the electoral process. He emphasised that “the country’s march towards democracy cannot be halted through fear, terror, or bloodshed.”
Following the announcement of Hadi’s death, protests erupted across Dhaka and other cities. Demonstrators stormed the offices of major newspapers, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, with reports of arson at one site. Security forces were deployed but did not intervene to disperse crowds.
The government has declared special prayers at mosques and a half-day of mourning. As Bangladesh prepares for elections in February, Hadi’s killing has intensified political tensions and raised concerns about violence aimed at disrupting the democratic process.
