Critically injured Bangladeshi uprising leader dies in Singapore, Muhammad Yunus promises probe

Dhaka: Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of the July Uprising and a spokesperson of the Inqilab Manch who was shot last week, died on Thursday night while undergoing treatment at a Singapore hospital after fighting for his life for six days.

Unidentified gunmen last week shot Hadi in the head, leaving him critically injured.

“Today, I came before you with very heartbreaking news. Sharif Osman Hadi, the fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, is no more among us," Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said while addressing the nation.

Yunus promised swift action to catch Hadi’s killers and declared one-day state mourning.

Interim government chief Muhammad Yunus in a nationwide televised address shortly after Hadi’s death announced a state-mourning on Saturday promising his killers to expose to justice and take responsibility of his wife and only child and called for restraint.

“I sincerely call upon all citizens – keep your patience and restraint,” he said.

The chief adviser called Hadi an “enemy to the defeated forces and fascist terrorists, in an apparent reference to deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s now disbanded Awami League, and added “their evil efforts to frighten the revolutionaries will be completely thwarted”.

Critically ill former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that appears as the forerunner in the changed political landscape and its once ally now rival Jamaat-e-Islami too mourned the death.

Hadi’s death came hours after his family consented to a surgery to be performed in Singapore as a last-ditch effort to save his life.

The Mancha earlier warned it would stage a sit-in protest at Shahbagh intersection until the attackers were arrested.

"If Osman Hadi responds to the call of his Creator and joins the ranks of..., the oppressed and freedom-seeking people of Bangladesh are requested to gather at Shahbagh to ensure sovereignty," the Mancha said, adding that they would “bring the country to standstill” until the demand was met.

"If the killer flees to India, they must be arrested and brought back at any cost through discussions with the Indian government," the platform said.

Witnesses said a group of general students and people gathered at the capital's Shahbagh intersection near premier Dhaka University campus following the announcement of his death and chanted slogans like "Who are you, who am I – Hadi, Hadi".

A like-minded student group called 'Jatiya Chhatra Shakti' brought out a mourning procession on the Dhaka University campus and marched Shahbagh to join the demonstration at the intersection.

The Chhatra Shakti burnt an effigy of home adviser, effectively a minister, retired lieutenant general Jahangir Alam Chowdhury demanding his immediate resignation for his failure to arrest Hadi’s assailants.

Chowdhury earlier announced a reward of Taka 50 lakh for clues leading to the arrest of Hadi’s suspected assailants while police arrested the prime suspect Foysal Karim Masud’s parents, wife and a female friend.

A group of people launched an attack on mass circulation of Bangla newspaper Prothom Alo’s office at capital's Karwan Bazar, near the Shahbagh intersection.

Reports said that they have vandalised multiple floors while several journalist and staff of the newspaper were trapped inside as the mob ignited a fire in front of the building.

"Several hundred demonstrators reached the Prothom Alo office around 11pm and later surrounded the building,” a witness said but it remained unclear why the newspaper, known for its passive support for Yunus and his interim government, came under attack.

The government on Saturday ordered a nationwide security clampdown called 'Operation Devil Hunt 2' amid escalated fears over the law and order situation and promised to issue firearms licenses for election candidates for their own security provide security to frontline “July warriors”.

The home ministry on Monday unveiled a guideline for politically significant individuals and parliamentary candidates to obtain firearms licences and employ armed retainers for personal security.