Who Was Osman Hadi, The Student Leader Whose Killing Has Triggered Unrest Across Bangladesh?

Last Updated:December 19, 2025, 08:47 IST

The death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure of the July student uprising and a leading voice of the anti-Hasina platform Inqilab Mancha, has plunged Bangladesh into fresh unrest.

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot on December 12 and had been in critical condition since. 

Bangladesh is witnessing a volatile and emotional moment after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a young leader who emerged from the student uprising that reshaped the country’s political landscape last year. His killing has not only devastated supporters of the Inqilab Mancha, the anti-Hasina platform he helped lead, but has also triggered large-scale protests, attacks on media offices, and demonstrations outside Indian diplomatic premises.

For many who took part in the July Uprising and the toppling of the Awami League government, Hadi had come to embody the spirit of the movement, and news of his death has intensified anxieties among his supporters.

His prominence was closely tied to the rise of the Inqilab Mancha, a political platform that emerged from the protest movement and ultimately led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina. The platform positioned itself as a force seeking a constitutional ban on the Awami League and frequently projected an uncompromising stance against pro-India politics.

A Radical Figure Of The Student Uprising

Sharif Osman Hadi rose to prominence as the convener of Inqilab Mancha and became known for his sharp attacks on both the Awami League and pro-India political alignments. His confrontational style brought him both followers and critics. According to Bangladeshi media reports, he had recently circulated a map of a so-called Greater Bangladesh that included parts of India’s northeast

At the time of the attack, Hadi was campaigning as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency for the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad elections.

The Assassination Attempt In Dhaka

The attack on Hadi took place on 12 December in Dhaka. He was shot by unidentified assailants on Culvert Road in the Paltan area while travelling in an auto-rickshaw. Immediately after the shooting, he was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Evercare Hospital for further treatment. Despite medical efforts in Dhaka, his condition deteriorated rapidly.

By 15 December, Hadi was airlifted to Singapore via air ambulance for advanced medical treatment. He was admitted to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at the Singapore General Hospital. Doctors in Singapore said Hadi had suffered irreversible brain damage and that he was placed on life support as multiple organs began to fail.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later confirmed his death, stating: “Despite the best efforts of the doctors, Mr Sharif Osman Hadi succumbed to his injuries."

Death In Singapore And Mourning

Hadi died on Thursday. Inquilab Mancha party leader Fatima Tasnim Zuma, also the Liberation War Affairs Secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students Union, described him as a “martyr" in a Facebook post.

Bangladesh’s interim government chief adviser Muhammad Yunus addressed the nation soon after the news broke. In his televised statement, Yunus said: “Today, I came before you with very heartbreaking news. Sharif Osman Hadi, the fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, is no more among us."

Announcing a one-day state mourning, he said: “I sincerely call upon all citizens – keep your patience and restraint." He also said Hadi was an “enemy to the defeated forces and fascist terrorists" and warned that “their evil efforts to frighten the revolutionaries will be completely thwarted".

Protests And Violent Unrest After His Death

Hadi’s death triggered widespread protests across Bangladesh. Thousands gathered at Shahbag in Dhaka, chanting slogans and accusing authorities of failing to protect him. Demonstrations quickly turned volatile. One group vandalised the office of Prothom Alo, the country’s largest newspaper, and the office of The Daily Star, which share the same building.

According to the Associated Press, soldiers and paramilitary border guards were deployed around the offices but did not disperse the protesters. As per local media reports, several people had been stranded inside the building.

In Rajshahi, protesters set fire to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s residence and an Awami League office, causing extensive damage. Demonstrators also marched to the residence of India’s Deputy High Commissioner in Chattogram, where they threw stones and shouted slogans following news of Hadi’s death.

On the Dhaka University campus, a student group called Jatiya Chhatra Shakti brought out a mourning procession before joining demonstrations at Shahbagh. An effigy of Home Adviser retired lieutenant general Jahangir Alam Chowdhury was burnt, with protesters demanding his resignation for failing to arrest Hadi’s assailants. Chowdhury had earlier announced a reward of Taka 50 lakh for information on the prime suspect, while police arrested the parents, wife, and a female friend of the accused, Foysal Karim Masud.

The situation late into Thursday night remained extremely volatile as protests intensified and calls for justice grew louder. According to the various reports, the army has been deployed in several areas of Dhaka ahead of the arrival of his mortal remains. Hadi’s body is set to arrive in Bangladesh’s capital.

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