Amnesty expresses deep concern, calls for independent probe into Hadi's assassination

Amnesty International has expressed deep concern over the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, and called for a swift, thorough, independent, and impartial investigation into the incident.

In an official statement posted on social media platform X on Friday (December 19), the organisation urged the interim government of Bangladesh to ensure accountability.

It also called for the identification and prompt prosecution of those responsible for the violence and killing through a transparent and fair judicial process—without imposing the death penalty.

According to Amnesty, Hadi was brutally attacked on December 12 while participating in election campaigning in a rickshaw on Box Culvert Road in Old Paltan, Dhaka.

Eyewitnesses reported that unidentified assailants fired at him from a moving motorcycle. Severely injured, he was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later admitted to Evercare Hospital for advanced treatment. As his condition worsened, he was flown to Singapore General Hospital on December 15, where he died on the night of December 18.

Hadi’s body was brought back to Dhaka on Friday evening, with the plane landing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:49pm, amid an emotionally charged atmosphere.

In response to a family request, Inqilab Mancha has decided to bury Hadi beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University. His funeral prayers are scheduled to be held today, Saturday, after Zuhr at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.

The call for justice for Hadi has resonated nationally and gained international attention. While the interim government has assured that the case will be investigated with priority, Amnesty International’s statement emphasises the need for an independent and credible probe under global scrutiny.