Bangladesh: Yunus govt seeks UN assistance to probe killing of Osman Hadi

Bangladesh has formally sought assistance from the United Nations human rights office on Sunday (Feb 08) for an investigation into the killing of political activist Osman Hadi, who was among the prominent figures of violent protests in 2024 that led to the collapse of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's regime and her subsequent ouster from the country.

The Bangladeshi mission in Geneva had wrote diplomatic note to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) requesting help in conducting a "fair, impartial and expeditious" probe into the murder, Dhaka's interim government said.

"The note requests technical and institutional assistance from the UN human rights office to support the investigation," the government's press wing said.

Sharif Osman Hadi, the 32-year-old spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, died on December 18 last year at Singapore General Hospital. The activist was shot in the head by unidentified masked assailants on a motorcycle in Dhaka's Paltan area on December 12 while leaving a mosque. Despite being airlifted to Singapore for specialised care, he succumbed to his injuries six days later.

Following the repatriation of his body from Singapore, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus declared a one-day state mourning on December 20, 2025. To ease tensions after Hadi’s death, the government and the Dhaka University granted permission to bury Sharif Osman Hadi beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

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Hadi was a central figure in the 2024 July Uprising and was campaigning as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming February 2026 elections. His political rhetoric centred on provoking anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. He frequently denounced what he called "Indian hegemony" and accused New Delhi of sheltering the ousted Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.

His death triggered a violent aftermath. Supporters attacked the offices of The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age, accusing them of pro-India bias. Historic sites like the Chhayanaut cultural centre were vandalised, and an Awami League office in Rajshahi was demolished. Amidst the chaos, India temporarily closed visa centres due to security concerns.