Osman Hadi’s killer in Dubai? Paid him 5 lakh taka before murder? What we know amid Bangladesh’s anti-India rhetoric

Amid ultimatum by Sharif Osman Hadi's student body Inqilab Moncho, a video of his alleged murderer is doing rounds on social media. Faisal Karim Masud, named by Bangladeshi authorities as the prime suspect in Hadi's murder rejected police allegations that he fled to India through the Haluaghat border after the killing. He said that the only links he had with Hadi were financial. In the video, Hadi claimed that he suffered loses during 2024 uprising in the country and contacted Hadi for help. HAdi had assured him that he would get a job and had demanded “five lakh taka.” Later, he got involved in political organising for Hadi, Faisal Karim Masud said in the video. However, the authenticity of the video is not known and Indian and Bangaldeshi agencies have not responded on the matter yet.

“After I spoke to him, he assured me that I would get the job. He also wanted five lakh taka, so I gave him the money," Faisal Karim Masud said, asserting that the payment was meant solely for lobbying for government related projects.

Meanwhile, Inqilab Moncho issued a 24-hours ultimatum to Muhammad Yunus-led government. Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Moncho, announced the ultimatum from Shahbagh in Dhaka on Sunday night (Dec 28). Continuing with its anti-India rhetoric, it also demanded suspension of work permits for Indians and filing of a case against India in an international court if former PM Sheikh Hasina is not extradited.

The demand by Inqilab Moncho came amid claims by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) that two prime suspects in Osman Hadi's murder fled to India via the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh district, which is connected to Meghalaya. Indian authorities have denied the claims and called it ‘baseless’. Just a day after the claims, a social media video of the alleged killer went viral in which he stated that he is in Dubai. In a statement in the video, he said that he did not kill Hadi, adding that the student leader was killed by members of Jamaat Shibir and accused “Jamatis" of being behind the attack. However, the authenticity of the video is not known and Indian and Bangladeshi agencies have not responded on the matter yet.

Osman Hadi's murder and chaos in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is engulfed in renewed clashes after the killing of radical student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December, 2025. Violence erupted in several cities, with his party Inqilab Moncho blaming Yunus-led government for his murder. Two Hindu men, Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal, have also been killed in the violence. Hadi, the founder of Inqilab Mancha, a radical student group of Dhaka University, was known for his anti-India views and was reportedly part of 2024 student uprising that led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina.

Also Read: Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman returns to Bangladesh after 17 years in exile, gets grand welcome

Elections are scheduled in February 2026 in Bangladesh. Former PM Khaleda Zia has passed away and her son Tarique Rahman has returned to the country after 17 years in self-imposed exile. Rahman arrived in Dhaka on Dec 25 with his wife Dr Zubaid, daughter Zaima and pet cat Zeebu. The BNP is widely seen as an election frontrunner. Sheikh Hasina's party has bpoycotted the polls.