Bangladesh police have said that the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi was an act of political vengeance, with investigators concluding that the conspiracy to murder him was hatched in Singapore. The findings were detailed in a charge sheet submitted by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch before a metropolitan court in Dhaka.
According to the charge sheet filed on Tuesday, the murder of the Inquilab Moncho leader was politically motivated and involved a carefully planned conspiracy. The police named 17 individuals as accused in the case and described the incident as a “political killing.” Investigators alleged that the murder was ordered by former Mirpur councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury, also known as Bappi. The police also dismissed claims made by certain groups in Bangladesh that India had any role in facilitating the crime.
The charge sheet further stated that the plot to kill Hadi was discussed during a meeting held in Singapore. Those allegedly present at the meeting included upcoming government minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, former Member of Parliament Ilias Molla, former councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury, and the alleged shooter Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Karim Masud. Police said Masud was formerly associated with a student wing, while another accused, Alamgir, was identified as an activist of the Jubo League. One of the shooters was identified as Philip. Investigators noted that three of the accused remain absconding.
According to police findings, Sharif Osman Hadi had recently been making strong and aggressive public statements against the banned Awami League and its senior leaders. Investigators believe these statements angered political rivals and ultimately led to the conspiracy to eliminate him.
Hadi was attacked on December 12 after attending an election-related programme. Police said that while he was travelling in a rickshaw along Paltan Road, assailants on a moving motorcycle opened fire and shot him in the head. He was rushed to hospital and later flown to Singapore for advanced medical treatment. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries days later. His death sparked widespread protests and unrest across Bangladesh.
However, Hadi’s political organisation, Inquilab Moncho, has strongly rejected the police charge sheet. The party accused the authorities and state machinery of being complicit in the murder and warned of intensified protests if justice is not delivered. Bengali daily Prothom Alo reported that the party described the police findings as unacceptable.
In a separate statement, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch reiterated that formal charges had been pressed against 17 individuals, including prime accused Faisal Karim Masud, and maintained that Hadi was killed due to “political vengeance” on the instructions of Awami League-nominated ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi.
Responding to the charge sheet, Inquilab Moncho member secretary Abdullah al Jaber dismissed the police narrative, saying that “even a lunatic would not believe” that a leader of Hadi’s stature could be murdered merely on the orders of a ward councillor. He asserted that the party does not accept the charge sheet and claimed that a wider “criminal syndicate,” along with elements of the state apparatus, was responsible for the killing.
Speaking after the party’s ‘March for Justice’ programme, Jaber said that Inquilab Moncho had pursued peaceful protests to demand accountability, but the charge sheet showed that the government had ignored public sentiment and, in his words, “treated the people as fools.” He warned that the party’s agitation would continue until those they believe are truly responsible are brought to justice.
Jaber further cautioned that if justice for Hadi’s murder is denied and what he described as “Indian hegemony” continues, the public would decide the consequences. Using strong language, he said that those who had shed blood should not expect restraint if the situation escalates.
Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, rose to national prominence during the July–August 2024 mass protests that eventually led to the fall of the Hasina-led government. At the time of his death, he was a spokesperson for Inquilab Moncho and a parliamentary candidate for the February 12 elections. After being shot during his campaign in Dhaka on December 12, he was airlifted to Singapore for treatment but died on December 18, turning his killing into a major flashpoint in Bangladesh’s already volatile political landscape.
