Inqilab Mancha demands special tribunal for swift trial in Hadi murder case

Inqilab Mancha today (22 December) demanded the formation of a special tribunal for the swift trial of the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, saying justice must be ensured before the upcoming election.

Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of the organisation, made the demand at a press conference in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh in the capital this afternoon.

Calling for urgent action, Jaber said a speedy judicial tribunal and professional intelligence support were needed to investigate the case.

"We cannot afford any delay. To make the election stable and fair, the killers of Osman Hadi must be arrested quickly," he said.

He said international assistance had been sought in the past for major incidents in Bangladesh and that a similar approach should be taken in this case.

"In the murder of an important person like Osman Hadi, we must walk that same path," he added.

Addressing Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Jaber said the government had failed to clearly state how the murder would be tried.

"You paid respect to Shaheed Osman Hadi at the funeral, but you did not say even once how this murder will be tried. Your silence has deeply disappointed us," he said.

He added that no election would be accepted without justice in the case. "Our position is clear: justice must be ensured before the election," he said.

Referring to what he described as conflicting statements from the authorities, Jaber said there was no clear explanation about the whereabouts of the suspect.

"Sometimes you say the killer has fled to India, and other times you say the killer is in the country. So what is the job of the intelligence agencies of Bangladesh? Are they sitting there just to enjoy benefits with the people's tax money?" he asked.

"The location of the killer has not been confirmed yet, and even the killer's driver has not been arrested. Sometimes the killer's family and sometimes associates are brought in, and it is said they could not provide sufficient information," he said, questioning the effectiveness of the intelligence agencies in identifying those responsible.

Jaber further said Inqilab Mancha had demanded the identification and arrest of what he called Awami cohorts within civil and military intelligence, but that the government had not responded to the issue.

"To ignore the demands of crores of people in this way is extreme irresponsibility," he said.

Criticising the law adviser, he accused the government of avoiding responsibility over the investigation.

"The people put you in power to perform your duties, not to deny responsibility. Tell the nation clearly who is obstructing this investigation, and then resign," he concluded.