Activists march for justice in Sharif Osman Hadi killing, demand work permit ban for Indians in Bangladesh

Dhaka/New Delhi: Slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi's party on Tuesday launched a day-long rally in Dhaka, pressing for justice in his killing, and demanding, among other measures, the cancellation of work permits of all Indians residing in Bangladesh.

As part of its four-point demand, Inqilab Moncho also sought the repatriation of the alleged killers who, it claims, have taken refuge in India, warning that Dhaka should move the International Court of Justice if New Delhi refuses to hand them over, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

Indian authorities had dismissed claims that Hadi's killers crossed into India, saying there is no evidence of illegal border movement.

The 'March for Justice' began around 11:30 am from Shahbagh, with activists travelling on 10 pickup vans and on foot through several major intersections, including Science Lab, Mohammadpur, Mirpur-10, Uttara, Bashundhara, Badda, Rampura and Jatrabari, before returning to Shahbagh in the evening, the newspaper quoted the organisers as saying.

Participants said the protest was aimed at drawing attention to what they described as a "lack of progress" in the investigation into Hadi’s killing, demanding that all those involved, including the killer, planners, accomplices and those who sheltered them, be brought to trial before the February 12 parliamentary elections.

During the march, demonstrators chanted slogans such as “We will not let Hadi’s blood go in vain,” “Why is the murderer free while my brother lies in the grave?” and “Red and green flag, the flag of Inqilab—you can see Hadi”.

The protesters also demanded that alleged “fascist accomplices” within the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence must be identified, arrested and brought to justice, the report said.

Hadi, 32, a prominent youth leader who rose to national prominence during the July-August 2024 mass protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, was shot in the head on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka.

He was also a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 12 elections. Hadi was airlifted to Singapore for treatment but died on December 18.

His killing has triggered fresh political unrest in Bangladesh and strained ties with India, after some groups alleged an Indian link to the crime.

New Delhi has strongly rejected the accusations, calling them a “false narrative”.

"We have rejected the false narrative that has been projected in Bangladesh. The law and order situation and developments happening there is the responsibility of the government of Bangladesh. To portray a narrative where things go in another direction is completely false and we reject that," Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said last month in New Delhi.

He said India stands for strengthening its ties with the people of Bangladesh and favours peace and stability in the country.

India has also sought a thorough probe into Hadi's killing amid a sharp downturn in ties between the two countries.

On Dec 28, Additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police S N Md Nazrul Islam claimed in a press conference that the suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, "crossed into the Indian state of Meghalaya via the Haluaghat border with the help of local associates”.

Security agencies in Meghalaya dismissed the claims, describing them as "unfounded and misleading".

"There is no evidence to suggest that any individual crossed the international border from the Haluaghat sector into Meghalaya. The BSF has neither detected nor received any report of such an incident," Border Security Force (BSF) chief in Meghalaya, Inspector General O P Opadhyay, had said.

The Meghalaya Police also said there was "no input or intelligence to corroborate" the claim of the suspects' presence in the Garo Hills region.

The Garo Hills region falls under Meghalaya's western sector, which shares an international border with Bangladesh and is guarded by the BSF.