Bangladesh Violence: More than two weeks have passed since the murder of Sharif Usman Hadi, a student leader turned social activist in Bangladesh, but the real killers have yet to be arrested. Public anger is growing over this delay. Meanwhile, the Iqbal Manch has announced a complete nationwide blockade on Sunday.
Bangladesh Violence: Iqbal Manch’s ultimatum to Yunus government
The Iqbal Manch is continuously putting pressure on the interim Yunus government. The group says that if Hadi’s killers are not arrested soon, there will be widespread protests across the country. Before announcing the blockade, the group held demonstrations for two consecutive days. According to media reports, the Iqbal Manch announced through a Facebook post around 11:30 PM on Saturday that the blockade would begin at 11 AM on Sunday.
Iqbal Forum Protest Continues: Sit-in continues for the second day in Shahbag
The Iqbal Forum’s sit-in protest continued for the second day at Shahbag intersection in Dhaka. During this time, environmental advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali arrived at the protest site around 11 pm. They met with the protesters and provided an update on the progress of the investigation into the Hadi murder case.
Usman Hadi Death: Government assures justice will be served
Environmental advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan assured the protesters that the interim government is taking the matter seriously. She said the government is making every effort to identify and punish those involved in Hadi’s murder, including those working behind the scenes. She also stated that a charge sheet would be filed soon and the case would be brought to a speedy trial.
Bangladesh Protest: Progress in the Investigation
DMP Commissioner Sheikh Mohammad Sajjat Ali said that the government has assigned the responsibility of investigating this murder to the police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and other agencies. So far, 10 suspects have been arrested in connection with the investigation. Police have also recovered two pistols and a motorcycle used in the murder. In addition, signed checks worth 218 crore taka have been seized.
Charge Sheet Deadline
Police officials said that the charge sheet in this case will be filed by January 7. However, the protesters are not satisfied with this and say that their movement will continue until the culprits are punished.
Yunus Government: Protests across the country
On Saturday, activists of the Iqbal Manch blocked roads and staged sit-in protests in several cities, including Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong, and Kushtia, demanding justice for Hadi. It is worth noting that on December 12, two assailants on a motorcycle shot Hadi in the head. He was taken to Singapore for treatment, where he died during treatment.
