Inqilab Mancha demands concrete info on Hadi murder case within 7 days

Inqilab Mancha today (5 June) demanded the government provide concrete information about the perpetrators of the murder of its spokesperson, Sharif Osman bin Hadi, within seven days, warning that it would launch a sit-in programme at Shahbagh if no progress is made.

The platform made the announcement following a protest march held after Jummah prayers. The procession began from the Central Mosque of Dhaka University and concluded near the burial site of Osman Hadi.

Addressing the gathering after the march, Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber accused the government of failing to present a clear roadmap for ensuring justice in the case despite being in office for three months.

"The government repeatedly says that efforts are underway to bring back the killers. We want to know whether this process will continue indefinitely," he said.

Jaber said if the government fails by next Friday to provide specific information about the killers or announce a timeline for ensuring justice, the organisation, along with the public, will stage a sit-in programme at Shahbagh.

He also criticised the government's response to recent remarks by Mamata Banerjee regarding the murder.

According to Jaber, Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs should have examined the claims made by Mamata and investigated their veracity. Instead, he said, officials dismissed the comments as those of a defeated political candidate.

"We will not issue any further ultimatums regarding justice for Osman Hadi," Jaber said. "Now it is the government's turn to provide deadlines and commitments. If we are forced to issue another ultimatum, it will be for a final movement."

He further called on the government to clarify the status of a proposed investigation under the auspices of the United Nations, asking whether the organisation had agreed to conduct such an inquiry.

Referring to Mamata's remarks, Jaber alleged that there were links between India and Bangladesh in the Hadi murder case and urged the government to take full control of the investigation and ensure a swift trial for those responsible.

At around 2:20pm on 12 December last year, assailants on a motorcycle shot Hadi in the Box Culvert Road area under Paltan Model Police Station and fled.

He sustained serious bullet injuries to his head and below his right ear.

He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later to Evercare Hospital for treatment.

As his condition deteriorated, Hadi was taken to Singapore by air ambulance on 15 December for advanced treatment.

He died there on 18 December while undergoing treatment.

Following the incident, Jaber had filed an attempted murder case at Paltan police station on 14 December.

The case was later converted into a murder case.