United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned the killing of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, urging Bangladeshi authorities to carry out a swift, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation in line with international human rights standards.
Guterres also expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
The remarks were conveyed by UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during a briefing at UN headquarters in New York on 19 December.
Dujarric said the secretary-general strongly condemned the killing of the young activist and called on all parties in Bangladesh to refrain from violence, reduce tensions and exercise maximum restraint, particularly in the run-up to the parliamentary elections scheduled for February. Guterres underscored the importance of ensuring a peaceful and secure electoral environment.
Earlier, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk also expressed deep concern over Hadi’s killing. In a statement issued from Geneva on Friday, Türk urged the Bangladeshi interim government to conduct a prompt, impartial and comprehensive investigation and to hold those responsible fully accountable.
Sharif Osman Hadi was shot in the head by assailants in Dhaka on 12 December, a day after the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary elections and referendum was announced. He later succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on 18 December.
His death has sparked widespread grief and outrage among activists, students and ordinary citizens across the country.
