Dhaka, Jan 16 (.) Bangladesh’s youth-based activist platform Inqilab Moncho has announced plans to hold a large-scale “Hadi Rally” within the next week, demanding justice for the killing of its former spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
The announcement was made on Friday afternoon at a protest gathering held beneath the Raju Sculpture on the campus of Dhaka University. Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of the socio-cultural group, said the rally would be organised soon, with the date and time to be declared later.
Earlier in the day, following Friday prayers, Inqilab Moncho leaders and activists marched from the university’s central mosque, chanting slogans demanding accountability for Hadi’s murder.
The procession ended at the Raju Sculpture, where a brief rally and sit-in were held before being formally concluded around 4 pm with the announcement of the upcoming mobilisation.
An Islamist, Hadi was a leading figure in the 2024 July Uprising, as well as one of the strident anti-India voices in the country.
As part of his anti-India rhetoric, he took pot-shots at New Delhi’s territorial sovereignty by presenting maps of a so-called ‘Greater Bangladesh’ which showed West Bengal and North East Indiaas part of Bangladesh.
Announcing the planned rally, Al Jaber said, “We will hold a Hadi rally within the next week. Lakhs of people will gather there. Through this rally, we will send a clear message that those who act against the country’s independence and sovereignty will find no shelter on this soil.”
He said all political parties would be invited to participate, adding that the rally would serve as a test of where parties stand. “We don’t recognise BNP, Jamaat, NCP or any other label. We recognise justice. We will support those who demand justice for Hadi’s murder,” he said, warning that the group would campaign across all 300 parliamentary seats based on that principle.
Al Jaber also questioned the progress of the investigation, alleging inconsistencies in the charge sheet. “The Detective Branch told us five teams were active on the day Hadi was shot. Then why does the charge sheet only name the shooters? Where are the others?” he asked.
Addressing future political leaders, he said Inqilab Moncho would not compromise on accountability. “If justice is ignored, the difference in votes will not be in millions, but billions. The sooner this reality is understood, the better,” he said. . . JRC