Sharif Osman Hadi’s namaz-e-janaza was held on Saturday afternoon at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Manik Mia Avenue in the capital. The funeral prayer was led by his elder brother, Abu Bakar Siddiq.
Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, members of the Advisory Council, and leaders and activists from various political parties and organisations attended the janaza, which was held around 2:30pm.
Before the prayer, Abu Bakar Siddiq expressed anger that even after seven days the identified killers of Osman Hadi had not been arrested.
However, the body was brought to the venue around 1:15pm from the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Dhaka.
Photo: Md Mazharul Islam/TIMES
Meanwhile, people from all walks of life have gathered there to attend the janaza of Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, and pay their respects.
They began arriving since morning in processions of varying sizes. Large crowds filled the area around the parliament, with demonstrators chanting slogans such as, “We will not let Hadi Bhai’s blood go in vain” and “Justice for Hadi’s murder”.
Bilal Hossain, a participant from Narayanganj, expressed frustration and said, “It pains us that the killer has not been caught. Whoever is responsible must be brought to justice immediately.”
He will be laid to rest beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University.
Before janaza, authorities deployed heightened security, including police, RAB, Ansar, military personnel, and 20 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in and around Jatiya Sangsad premises and other key areas of the capital.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has also deployed officers equipped with 1,000 body-worn cameras to maintain law and order.
Traffic was completely blocked from Khejurbagan Crossing to Manik Mia Avenue, with commuters advised to follow alternative routes. Attendees have been requested not to carry bags or heavy items, and flying drones over the area has been prohibited for security reasons.
A one-day state mourning is being observed nationwide in Hadi’s honour, with national flags flying at half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous, and private institutions, as well as at Bangladesh missions abroad.
Hadi was shot in the head on 12 December in the Box Culvert Road area of Old Paltan, Dhaka, a day after the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election was announced.
He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, later shifted to Evercare Hospital, and airlifted to Singapore on 15 December for advanced treatment. He passed away around 9:30pm on 18 December at Singapore General Hospital.
Earlier in the morning, the body of Hadi has been taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital in Dhaka for autopsy. Around 9:45am on Saturday, his body was moved there from the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar under tight security.
