Bangladesh youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi was laid to rest on Saturday beside the grave of poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University Central Mosque, amid tight security.
Hadi, leader of Inqilab Mancha, was shot dead on December 12 by unidentified assailants. He died in Singapore while undergoing treatment for the gunshot injuries sustained during a campaign-related attack in Dhaka.
Chief Adviser of Bangladesh’s interim government Muhammad Yunus and Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman attended the funeral.
In an emotional speech, Yunus said that Hadi would remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis. “You are in our hearts, and you will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists,” he said.
Following the funeral prayers, thousands of Hadi’s supporters gathered at Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection, where Inqilab Mancha issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Yunus administration to arrest those responsible for Hadi’s killing.
The crowd shouted slogans including “Inqilab, Inqilab – Zindabad, Zindabad” and “Not Delhi, Dhaka–Dhaka, Dhaka.”
Hadi’s murder—he was a youth leader who rose to prominence during the student-led uprising against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina—triggered widespread violence, with supporters demanding swift action against the perpetrators.
Following news of his death, protests erupted in Dhaka and several other cities, with attacks reported on media houses, political offices, and cultural institutions.
Yunus reiterated that those responsible would be brought to justice and urged citizens to remain calm.