Protest marches and rallies swept across the capital on Friday as demonstrators demanded exemplary punishment for the killers of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson and prospective Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Sharif Osman Hadi.
After the Jummah prayers, general students, political activists and people from different walks of life took to the streets in several areas including the National Mosque Baitul Mokarram, Shahbagh and Dhaka University, demanding swift justice for Hadi’s killing. As part of the day-long programme, protesters blocked several roads, causing disruptions to traffic in surrounding areas.
Shahbagh blocked for 21 hours, limited traffic movement
Shahbagh remained virtually blocked for nearly 21 hours in protest against the killing of Osman Hadi and in demand of exemplary punishment for the perpetrators, bringing vehicular movement in Shahbagh and adjacent areas to a halt.
Although the blockade was slightly relaxed from midnight until 12 noon, more people joined the movement after midday, once again blocking roads and staging protests. During the programme, protesters offered Jummah and Asr prayers on the streets. Demonstrators had started gathering in Shahbagh and nearby areas from Thursday night, with the area turning restive over demands for the killers of Osman Hadi to be brought back to the country and punished swiftly.
Eyewitnesses told TIMES of Bangladesh that around 10:30pm on Thursday, protesters began arriving in Shahbagh in processions from different parts of the capital and took positions at the Shahbagh intersection, bringing traffic to a standstill. Alongside an overnight sit-in, many also joined the protest in smaller processions. Leaders of the National Citizen Party, including Nahid Islam, former adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and several Dhaka University Central Students’ Union leaders, were present at the Shahbagh programme.
Demonstration at Baitul Mokarram
Protesters also staged demonstrations in the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque area on Friday in protest against the killing of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
After the Jummah prayers, Bangladesh Khelafat Chhatra Majlis launched a protest programme demanding the arrest of the attackers and speedy trial of the case. Members of the public also joined the demonstration. At the outset, leaders and activists of the organisation chanted slogans including “Who am I, who are you—Hadi, Hadi”, “There is no place for the killer League in my golden Bengal”, “Fascism will have no address in this Bengal” and “We will all become Hadi and fight on through the ages”.
At the same time, the Dhaka Metropolitan South unit of Khelafat Majlis held a separate protest programme in the Baitul Mokarram area, demanding justice for Hadi’s killing and punishment of those involved. Protesters called for swift trials, arrests of the accused and prompt punishment.
Members of law enforcement agencies remained on alert in and around the Baitul Mokarram area during the demonstrations.
NCP’s protest march, JCD submits memo to home adviser
After the Jummah prayers, the National Citizen Party (NCP) suspended its pre-announced sit-in programme at Shahbagh and instead organised a protest march from Banglamotor at 4:00pm.
Earlier, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) submitted a memorandum to the home adviser, demanding immediate arrest of the killers of Osman Hadi, exemplary punishment for those responsible and security for participants of the mass uprising.
