Osman Hadi’s body arrives in Dhaka; burial next to Bangladesh national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Saturday

Slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi will be buried beside Bangladesh’s revered national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Saturday, fulfilling the family's wish, Inqilab Mancha said in a social media post. Hadi's mortal remains were brought to Dhaka from Singapore, where he was undergoing treatment, on Friday amid a tense security environment following violent protests by his supporters.

"Upon the family's wishes, a decision has been taken to bury Hadi beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and to hold his funeral prayer after Zuhr tomorrow at Manik Mia Avenue," Inqilab Mancha, the organisation Hadi was a spokesperson of, wrote.

Muhammmd Yunus-led interim government deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel across Dhaka to maintain law and order after a fresh wave of violent protests.

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Upon the arrival of Hadi's body in Dhaka, Inqilab Moncho urged its supporters not to respond to any "instructions or provocations" from sources other than the platform itself. "The Inqilab Moncho will be coming to the Dhaka University Central Mosque with the martyr Osman Hadi. Students and the general public will occupy the streets and continue chanting slogans demanding justice," the group said in a statement.

"Do not heed any instructions or provocations from anyone other than the Inqilab Moncho," it said, adding that a "strong programme" would be announced soon.

Political activist Salman Osman Hadi died in Singapore on Thursday after he was shot at by unidentified men last Friday (Dec 12), triggering a wave of violent protests across Bangladesh by Inqilab Moncho supporters.

Protesters went on a rampage during the unrest, ransacking the offices of leading newspapers such as The Daily Star, Prothom Alo and New Age, setting parts of the buildings on fire and disrupting printing operations. Demonstrators also torched or damaged other sites, including the historic cultural centre Chhayanaut and remnants of key political buildings, while in Rajshahi, crowds used heavy machinery, including a bulldozer, to demolish an Awami League party office.

Amid the violence, a Hindu garment worker was beaten to death after being accused of blasphemy, deepening concerns over communal tensions.

This wave of violence follows prolonged political instability since 2024, including major nationwide protests over governance issues that led to the collapse of the Awami League government and ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.