Who was Sharif Osman Hadi? The rise and killing of Bangladesh’s protest icon

Bangladesh is on edge once again as violent demonstrations erupted in multiple cities after the tragic death of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Hadi, the political activist, was shot dead by masked attackers. Last week, he succumbed to gunshot injuries while being treated in Singapore’s General Hospital.

The assassination came on the heels of Bangladeshi authorities’ announcement in which they declared a date for the first election since the uprising in 2024.

The tragic news of his death has brought Dhaka to the brink of violent protests as thousands of supporters gathered in the capital city to demonstrate.

Who was Sharif Osman Hadi?

Sharif Osman Hadi, 32, studied at Jhalakathi N S Kamil Madrasa and the University of Dhaka. During his academic period, he became involved in political and social activism.

Hadi rose to national prominence during the student-led uprising in 2024 which toppled Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government.

Hadi co-founded “Inquilab Mancha”, a youth-led political movement arising from mass protests that came to be known as “July uprising.” The group had been on the forefront of a campaign to disband Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.

Later, he officially became a spokesperson for Inquilab Mancha. .

Through 2024 and into 2025, Hadi emerged as one of the most visible leaders of the protest movement due to being an outspoken critic of Sheikh Hasina rule and her influence in domestic politics.

On multiple occasions, he also voiced vocal opposition to growing Indian influence in Bangladesh.

Pivot to national politics

He also planned to run as an independent member of parliament for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the Bijoynagar area of the city in the upcoming elections, expected in February 2026.

Assassination of Osman Hadi

On Thursday, Osman Hadi took his last breath while succumbing to bullet injuries. He was assaulted by two unidentified gunmen, who shot him in the head. Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Having suffered brain stem damage, he was shifted to Singapore General Hospital’s neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on December 15 for treatment.

In a Facebook post late on Thursday, Inqilab Mancha announced: “In the struggle against Indian hegemony, Allah has accepted the great revolutionary Osman Hadi as a martyr.”

Manhunt for attackers

The Bangladeshi Police authorities have launched a search for the attackers, releasing the photographs of two key suspects and offering a reward of 5 million taka ($42,000) for any information that could lead to their arrest.