DHAKA: Bangladesh has requested assistance from the United Nations human rights office for an investigation into the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/violence-erupts-in-bangladesh-after-wounded-youth-leader-dies" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">killing</a> of Sharif Osman Hadi, a popular leader in the country&#39;s 2024 youth-led uprising, the government said Sunday. The Bangladeshi mission in Geneva had sent a diplomatic note requesting the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to support a &quot;fair, impartial and expeditious&quot; probe into the killing, the interim government&#39;s press wing said. &quot;The note requests technical and institutional assistance from the UN human rights office to support the investigation,&quot; it added. Hadi, 32, was <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/violence-erupts-in-bangladesh-after-wounded-youth-leader-dies" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">shot</a> by masked assailants in Dhaka last December and later died of his injuries at a hospital in Singapore. His death set off a wave of violent protests. Hadi&nbsp;had planned to run as an independent candidate in polls taking place on Thursday to determine the country&#39;s first elected government since the overthrow of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The interim government, which is led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, also reiterated its commitment to ensuring &quot;the highest standards of transparency and accountability&quot; in the case and pledged to identify and prosecute those responsible.Hadi was an outspoken critic of India, where Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the July 2024 uprising that overthrew her government. His supporters hailed him as a martyr and a symbol of the anti-establishment youth movement reshaping Bangladesh&#39;s volatile political landscape.

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Bangladesh has requested UN assistance to investigate the killing of uprising leader Sharif Osman Hadi, whose death triggered protests, as the interim government pledged transparency, accountability, and prosecution of those responsible

Bangladesh seeks UN help to probe killing of uprising leader

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ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh ended 2025 at a crucial crossroads, facing challenges in political transition, governance reforms, and democratic accountability following the July 2024 Uprising. The year was marked by active youth participation, highlighting the nation&rsquo;s demographic dividend and setting a tone for future socio-political developments, said a report published by Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the state-owned news agency of Bangladesh. These were some of the major events that shaped 2025 for the country. Khaleda Zia&rsquo;s demiseThe country lost its former prime minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Dec. 30. Zia was the first woman prime minister of Bangladesh and the second in the Muslim world. Apart from countrymen and people cutting across their political affiliations, she drew tributes from international leaders, including the premiers of India and Pakistan. Her funeral prayer drew millions, and she was buried beside the mausoleum of her slain husband, Ziaur Rahman. Signing of National July CharterOn Oct.17, the landmark &ldquo;July National Charter 2025&rdquo; was signed after protracted consultations between the political parties and the National Consensus Commission, headed by the interim government&rsquo;s Chief Adviser, Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus. During the signing ceremony, Professor Yunus said Bangladesh &quot;embraced civilization&quot; by signing the document and described the ceremony as the &quot;birth of a New Bangladesh.&quot; The charter contains a seven-point commitment, urging the signatory political parties to uphold it as the will of the people expressed in the July 2024 Uprising and grounded in democratic principles and national consensus. Launching of NCPOn Feb. 28, the National Citizen Party (NCP), comprising the students and youths who spearheaded the July 2024 Uprising, emerged as a political party vowing to pursue politics of national unity over division and to materialize their vision for a &ldquo;second republic.&rdquo; July martyr Ismail Hossain Rabbi&rsquo;s sister Mim Akhter announced the top leadership of the NCP central committee at its inaugural rally at Manik Mia Avenue in front of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the capital, with one of the top July 2024 Uprising leaders, Nahid Islam, as its convener and Akhter Hossen as member secretary. Unveiling of the July DeclarationOn August 5, Professor Yunus unveiled the &ldquo;July Declaration&rdquo; before the nation at a public gathering at South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The event was arranged to commemorate the July 2024 Uprising Day. Tarique Rahman&rsquo;s homecomingBangladesh&rsquo;s transitional political landscape witnessed a significant event when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, returned to Bangladesh on Dec. 25 after 17 years in exile in the UK. Hundreds of thousands of people welcomed him, rallying on the streets stretching from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to the July 36 Expressway, popularly known as 300-Feet Road, where he addressed a mammoth public reception. Referring to a popular quote from US civil rights activist Martin Luther King, &ldquo;I Have a Dream&rdquo;, Tarique Rahman said, &ldquo;I have a plan for the people of my country and for my countrymen,&rdquo; and sought people&rsquo;s cooperation to realize his plan. Disbanding of Awami LeagueOn May 12, the government banned all activities of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s Awami League and its associated and affiliated organizations under Bangladesh&rsquo;s tough Anti-Terrorism Act, on allegations of killings, genocide, crimes against humanity, and other grave offences to tame the July uprising, issuing an executive order. Coinciding with the order, the Election Commission suspended Bangladesh Awami League&rsquo;s registration on the same day, disqualifying it from contesting the upcoming general elections. Sheikh Hasina&rsquo;s trialOn Nov. 17, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced to death deposed premier Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal after their trial in absentia. The three-judge panel headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder convicted them on charges of committing crimes against humanity on grounds of superior command responsibility for offences committed during the July Uprising. Osman Hadi&rsquo;s killingThe fag-end of the year witnessed the fatal attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, the leader of the cultural group Inqilab Mancha, imbued with the July Uprising spirit, and his subsequent death on Dec. 18, sparking a nationwide protest and uproar. Hadi&rsquo;s funeral prayers held at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Complex drew tens of thousands of people on Dec. 20. The chief adviser, his advisory council members, and senior government officials in civil and military services also attended. Hadi was buried beside National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam&rsquo;s Mausoleum on the Dhaka University campus. Milestone School Tragedy&nbsp;On July 21, a Bangladesh Air Force training jet crashed into a building on the campus of Milestone School and College at Diabari of the capital&rsquo;s Uttara area, killing 36 people, mostly school children, with the rest being staff, teachers, and the fighter jet&rsquo;s pilot. Over 170 people were injured, with many suffering severe burns; hospitals, especially the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, were overwhelmed with patients. Student union elections&nbsp;After a long impasse, authorities staged central student union elections at premier Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Chittagong University, and Rajshahi University in September and October. Long-awaited Dhaka University Central Students&rsquo; Union elections were held on Sept. 9 after a six-year pause. Chittagong University Central Students&rsquo; Union and Rajshahi University Central Students&#39; Union elections were held on Oct. 15 and 16, respectively, after 35 years, while Jahangirnagar University Central Students&#39; Union polls were held on Sept. 11 after 33 years. Bangladesh women&#39;s football team&rsquo;s successOn July 2, Bangladesh&#39;s women&#39;s football team created history by qualifying for the AFC Women&#39;s Asian Cup 2026 for the first time, following their outstanding 2-1 triumph over host Myanmar in their second group match at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon. The success earned the team the Ekushey Padak 2025, Bangladesh&#39;s second-highest civilian award. Bangladesh&rsquo;s U-20 women&rsquo;s football team won the 2025 SAFF U-20 Women&rsquo;s Championship, held from July 11 to 21 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena and Sports Ground in Dhaka.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh bade farewell to 2025, standing at a crossroads, preparing to lead its people into a new political and social transition amid renewed public expectations.

Bangladesh in 2025: Journey of reforms and political upheavals

DHAKA:&nbsp;Bangladesh police on Sunday said the alleged killers of popular student leader Sharif Osman Hadi had fled to India, in comments likely to further strain relations with its neighbor. Hadi, a vocal India critic who took part in last year&#39;s mass uprising, was shot by masked assailants in Dhaka earlier this month and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore. His death set off violent protests with angry mobs torching several buildings, including two major newspapers deemed to favor India, as well as a prominent cultural institution. With protests being held across the country almost daily, pressure has been growing on Bangladesh&#39;s interim government to arrest the killers of Hadi, who was set to contest the general elections in February next year. &lsquo;Killing was premeditated&rsquo;&quot;The killing was premeditated. Those behind it have been identified,&quot; SN Nazrul Islam, a senior Dhaka Metropolitan Police officer, said at a news conference. Suspects Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh left Bangladesh through the Haluaghat border with India shortly after attacking Hadi on December 12, Islam said. They were received at the border by two Indian citizens, who escorted them into the northeastern state of Meghalaya before handing them over to two accomplices. Bangladeshi investigators were in contact with their Indian counterparts, who had arrested the two suspected accomplices, Islam said. &ldquo;We are communicating with Meghalaya police, who have confirmed the arrest of two Indian nationals,&rdquo; he added. Two senior Meghalaya police officers, however, did not comment when contacted by AFP. The Indian foreign ministry had earlier said it rejects &ldquo;false narratives&rdquo; about New Delhi&#39;s involvement in Hadi&rsquo;s killing. Hasina&rsquo;s extradition &nbsp;Ties between the neighbors have deteriorated since the ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, fled the pro-democracy uprising and sought refuge in India. India says it is still considering Dhaka&#39;s requests to extradite Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia for orchestrating a deadly crackdown on the uprising.

Hadi, a vocal India critic who took part in last year's mass uprising, was shot by masked assailants in Dhaka earlier this month and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore.

Bangladesh police say student leader Osman Hadi’s killers fled to India

DHAKA: Tens of thousands of mourners gathered in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Saturday for the funeral of a student leader, after two days of violent protests over his killing. Huge crowds accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year&#39;s pro-democracy uprising who died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot by masked gunmen while leaving a Dhaka mosque. Police wearing body cameras were deployed in front of the parliament building where the funeral prayers were held. &lsquo;You are in our hearts&rsquo;&nbsp;Hadi&#39;s body, which was brought to the capital on Friday, was buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University. &quot;We have not come here to say goodbye,&quot; interim leader Muhammad Yunus said in an emotional speech.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/a031d5fb-dcdc-4179-905a-eb9b670038b6-Untitled(5).jpg" alt="Untitled(5).jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width: 1000px; height: 563px;"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic">Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus spoke at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka, prior to the Namaz-e-Janaza held for Sharif Osman Hadi. (Photo: BSS News)</figcaption></figure> &quot;You are in our hearts and you will remain in the heart of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists.&quot; Outspoken critic of India&nbsp;Hadi, 32, was an outspoken critic of India and was set to contest the general elections in February. Iqbal Hossain Saikot, a government employee who travelled from afar to attend the prayers, said Hadi was killed because he staunchly opposed India. He will continue to live &ldquo;among the millions of Bangladeshi people who love the land and its sovereign territory&rdquo;, Saikot, 34, told AFP. Hadi&rsquo;s death has triggered widespread unrest, with protesters across the South Asian nation demanding the arrest of those responsible. Late Thursday, people set fire to several buildings in Dhaka including the offices of leading newspapers Prothom Alo and the Daily Star. Critics accuse the publications of favoring neighboring India, where Bangladesh&rsquo;s ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina has taken refuge since fleeing Dhaka in the wake of the 2024 uprising.&nbsp;

Huge crowds accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in last year's pro-democracy uprising who died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday after being shot by masked gunmen while leaving a Dhaka mosque.

Tens of thousands attend funeral of killed Bangladesh student leader

DHAKA: Violence broke out in Bangladesh&#39;s capital early Friday after a youth leader of the country&#39;s 2024 pro-democracy uprising who was injured in an assassination attempt died in a hospital in Singapore. Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Dhaka after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, was announced, to demand that his killers be arrested. Several buildings in the capital, including those housing the country&#39;s two leading newspapers, were set on fire, according to authorities, with staff trapped inside. Hadi was a key figure in last year&#39;s uprising that ended the autocratic rule of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and sent her fleeing to India. He was running for a parliament seat in the February 2026 national election. On December 12, Hadi was shot by masked assailants as he was leaving a mosque in Dhaka. He was airlifted to a hospital in Singapore for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. At least three cases of arson were reported in Dhaka after the news of his death spread, a spokesperson for the Fire Brigade and Civil Defence force told AFP, including a fire at the Daily Star building and another at a building housing the Prothom Alo newspaper. The two papers are the largest in the South Asian country, but protesters accused them of being aligned with neighbouring India, where Hasina has taken refuge. Zyma Islam, a reporter for the Daily Star said she was trapped inside the burning building. &quot;I can&#39;t breathe anymore. There&#39;s too much smoke. I am inside. You are killing me,&quot; she wrote on her Facebook page. The house of India&#39;s deputy ambassador to Bangladesh was also surrounded by hundreds of people who were trying to demonstrate in a sit-in, but police lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, according to local news reports. In addition, protesters blocked a key highway connecting the capital with the central city of Mymensingh and attacked the residence of a former minister in Chittagong in the country&#39;s southeast, according to footage shown on local television. - Activist&#39;s death announced -Earlier Friday, Singaporean authorities announced that Hadi had died in a local hospital. &quot;Despite the best efforts of the doctors..., Mr Hadi succumbed to his injuries,&quot; Singapore&#39;s foreign affairs ministry said in a statement, adding that it was assisting Bangladeshi authorities with repatriating his body. In Dhaka, the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus confirmed Hadi&#39;s death. &quot;His demise is an irreparable loss for the nation,&quot; Yunus said in a televised speech. &quot;The country&#39;s march toward democracy cannot be halted through fear, terror, or bloodshed.&quot; The government also announced special prayers at mosques on Friday and a half-day of mourning on Saturday. Hadi, a senior leader of the student protest group Inqilab Mancha, was an outspoken critic of India, where Hasina remains in self-imposed exile. - Manhunt for gunmen -Bangladeshi police meanwhile have launched a manhunt for Hadi&#39;s shooters, releasing photographs of two key suspects and offering a reward of five million taka (about $42,000) for information leading to their arrest. Yunus, the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner leading Bangladesh until the February 12 vote, has called the shooting a premeditated attack carried out by a powerful network aimed at derailing the election. Muslim-majority Bangladesh, a nation of 170 million people, will directly vote for 300 lawmakers for its parliament, with another 50 selected on a women&#39;s list. The last elections, held in January 2024, gave Hasina a fourth straight term and her Awami League 222 seats, but were decried by opposition parties as a sham. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by three-time former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is widely tipped to win the upcoming vote. Zia is in intensive care in Dhaka, and her son and political heir Tarique Rahman, is set to return from exile in Britain after 17 years on December 25.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a pro-democracy leader critical of India, died from gunshot wounds after an assassination attempt; protesters block highways and surround the residence of India’s deputy ambassador.

Articles tagged with "Sharif Osman Hadi"

Bangladesh seeks UN help to probe killing of uprising leader

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Bangladesh police say student leader Osman Hadi’s killers fled to India

Tens of thousands attend funeral of killed Bangladesh student leader

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Bangladesh seeks UN help to probe killing of uprising leader