Two suspects who shot Hadi were campaigning with him since morning: Co-campaigners
The assailants had reportedly been active in Hadi’s campaign for several days prior to the attack.
Highlights
- Co-campaigners say the suspects stayed with him since morning
- Assailants came on a motorcycle and fired at close range
- Co-campaigners believe the attack was planned and intended to kill him
- Suspects avoided being photographed
- Hadi undergoes a brain surgery; doctors say his pulse has been detected
Two unknown assailants suspected of shooting Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson for Inqilab Mancha and an aspiring candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, had been accompanying him in election campaigning throughout the morning, according to his co-campaigners.
The assailants had reportedly been active in Hadi's campaign for several days prior to the attack.
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Police, however, have not yet issued any official statement regarding the matter.
According to police and witnesses, the incident occurred around 2:20pm today (12 December) in front of DR Tower on Box Culvert Road in the capital's Paltan area, when two unidentified individuals on a motorcycle shot Hadi at close range.
He was in a rickshaw with his brother at the time. Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 3pm, where he underwent brain surgery.
According to his co-campaigners, the two suspects had been with Hadi during campaign activities in recent days and also accompanied him this morning. One was dressed in a panjabi, while the other wore a coat and trousers.
When asked about this, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Motijheel division) Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid said, "We have also heard this. We are analysing evidence."
Earlier in the day, Hadi conducted campaign activities in Segunbagicha and Motijheel before offering prayers at a mosque in Motijheel. Members of his public relations team joined him in prayer, but the two suspects reportedly waited outside the mosque.
Speaking to reporters, Esrafil Farazi, a key organiser of July Oikya, said Hadi completed campaign activities in Motijheel before heading to the mosque for Jummah prayers. "After prayers, he left in a rickshaw with his brother, while PR team members followed in two other rickshaws. It was then that two armed assailants on a motorcycle approached and shot him."
Farazi added, "The attackers had shown interest in participating in campaign activities and never disclosed any political affiliation. They reportedly wore masks at all times, despite being asked to remove them, citing personal reasons. Hadi did not suspect anything unusual."
Abdullah Al Minhaj, health and environment affairs secretary of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu), said, "The bullet struck beneath his ear, which went through his neck and into his head, suggesting the attackers intended to kill him.
"Those behind the attack may attempt to destroy evidence."
Minhaj further said the two suspects had behaved suspiciously throughout the day and repeatedly prevented PR team members from taking their photographs.
"Although the campaign team possesses images of the suspects, they have opted not to release them publicly to avoid misidentification, citing the importance of protecting the integrity of the investigation."
He added that CCTV footage of a motorcycle fleeing the scene has also captured images of the two suspects. "During Jummah prayers, while the PR team prayed with Hadi inside the mosque, the two men stayed outside and monitored his movements."
Minhaj also said, "Hadi was initially in critical condition when brought to DMCH, with no detectable pulse or brain activity. However, doctors later confirmed that his pulse had returned, offering a glimmer of hope for his recovery.
