Dhaka: Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent Bangladeshi political leader and key figure from the 2024 student uprising, passed away on Thursday while undergoing treatment in Singapore following injuries sustained in a targeted assassination attempt in Dhaka. Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that despite intensive care at the Singapore General Hospital’s Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Hadi succumbed to his injuries on December 18, 2025.
Hadi had been critically wounded on December 12 while traveling in a battery-powered auto-rickshaw in Dhaka’s Paltan area. Initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later at Evercare Hospital, his condition necessitated advanced medical intervention abroad, leading to his airlift to Singapore on December 15. The Singapore MFA stated that despite the best efforts of doctors from SGH and the National Neuroscience Institute, Hadi could not be saved. Arrangements are underway to repatriate his body to Dhaka in coordination with the Bangladesh High Commission.
A central figure of the anti-Hasina political platform, Inqilab Manch, Hadi gained national prominence during the July 2024 student uprising that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. At the time of the attack, he was campaigning as an independent candidate from Dhaka-8 for the upcoming February elections. Inqilab Manch, which rose to prominence during the unrest, was later disbanded by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus and barred from participating in national polls.
Hadi’s death triggered massive protests across Bangladesh, particularly in Dhaka and Chattogram. Reports indicate clashes, vandalism, and targeted attacks on institutions including the offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo. In Rajshahi, the Awami League office was reportedly set ablaze, and there were claims of a fire at the residence of former minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury. Journalists, especially those covering Indian media, reported heightened threats from radical groups amid the unrest.
Interim leader Muhammad Yunus addressed the nation, expressing deep sorrow over Hadi’s death and declaring a one-day state mourning. He vowed a full investigation and assured that those responsible would face justice. Yunus described Hadi as a “fearless frontline fighter” of the July uprising and warned that efforts to intimidate revolutionary forces would not succeed.
