Osman Hadi killed due to political vengeance; Bangladesh police names 17 in chargesheet

Dhaka/New Delhi: Student leader Sharif Osman Hadi was killed due to "political vengeance" at the behest of the Awami League, Bangladesh police said on Tuesday as it pressed formal charges against 17 people in connection with the murder.

"Through public rallies and social media, Hadi had strongly criticised the past activities of the now-banned Awami League and Chhatra League. Hadi's outspoken remarks angered leaders and activists of Chhatra League and its affiliated groups," Md Shafiqul Islam, Additional Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) Detective Branch, was quoted as saying by news portal tbsnews.net.

The Chhatra League is the student wing of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party.

"Considering the political identities of the accused and the victim's previous political statements, the investigation has revealed that Hadi was shot dead due to political vengeance," Islam told a press briefing in Dhaka, as the DMP submitted the chargesheet against 17 accused.

Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Hadi, 32, rose to national prominence during the July-August 2024 mass protests that led to the fall of the 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.

Islam said the alleged shooter, Faisal Karim Masud, was directly involved with the Chhatra League.

Another accused, Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi, who allegedly helped Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, another prime suspect, flee after the killing, was the president of Pallabi Thana Chhatra League and an Awami League-nominated ward councillor, he said.

So far, 12 individuals have been arrested in connection with the case.

On Monday, Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury had told reporters after a meeting of the Advisory Council on law and order at the Secretariat that the final chargesheet in the Hadi murder case would be submitted on January 7.

However, police filed the chargesheet a day earlier amid protests in Dhaka by Inqilab Moncho, which has been demanding justice for the killing.