By P.K.Balachandran
Colombo, December 20 – Events that occurred in Bangladesh following the assassination of Islamist leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi allegedly by Sheikh Hasina’s men, demonstrated the rising power of a brand of radical Islamism which is also strongly anti-India.
The 32 year old Islamist leader Sherif Osman bin Hadi was killed by a gun man in a Dhaka street on December 12. Hadi was the spokesman of “Inqilab Moncho” (Revolutionary Platform), an Islamist body with its core group drawn from those who had passed out of Islamic religious schools called Madrasahs.
The Inquilab Moncho (IM) has been gaining support lately because the known leaders of the July 2024 uprising against the pro-India Sheikh Hasina government like the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) had begun to indulge in corrupt and questionable practices. And traditional political parties like the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) had failed to rise to the occasion and lead the people, who were looking for the realization of the ideals of the July 2024 anti-Hasina movement.
Broadly, the IM became the vanguard of the struggle for social and political change, representing all classes. Hadi’s rise coincided with the emergence of Islamism as a recognizable factor in Bangladeshi politics.
The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) became important in Bangladesh politics after it diluted its conservative Islamic social code and partially shed its pro-Pakistan stand on Bangladesh fight for independence in the 1960s. A recent survey cited by the daily “Prothom Alo” found that 65 % of the respondents supported the Jamaat-i-Islami’s ideology.
Anti-India Sentiments
Linking Hadi’s assassination with India, which had fully backed Hasina’s regime for 15 years, IM said that Hadi died “in the struggle against Indian hegemony” and that “ Allah has accepted the great revolutionary Osman Hadi as a martyr.”
An aspiring independent candidate in the February 2026 parliamentary elections, from the Dhaka-8 constituency, Hadi was given an official funeral on Saturday. Speaker after speaker spewed anti-Indian and anti-Hasina and anti-Awami feelings at a public meeting held to mourn his death.
“Amar Desh” Editor Mahmudur Rahman demanded that Hadi’s attackers and Sheikh Hasina be handed over by India before December 25. “Otherwise, by the blood of Hadi, we will launch a resistance movement against every Indian establishment in Bangladesh,” he thundered.
The two individuals who attacked Hadi, had allegedly fled to India.
Mahmudur Rahman, who took over IM after Hadi was shot dead, administered the following oath before the crowd. The oath said- “We will not allow the Indian-backed Awami League — who are subservient to Indian hegemony, anti-people and anti-state forces, their collaborators, along with the cultural fascists who produce narratives in their favour, to engage in destructive politics in Bangladesh.”
“If the killers are not extradited by December 25, the work permits of every Indian working in Bangladesh must be revoked,” Asaduzzaman Khan said
Former information adviser in the Yunus government, Mahfuj Alam, who was a key figure in the July 2024 uprising, said, “There is no use in showing civility… because enough is enough. We have been patient for too long. Further, those who served Indian interests or the interests of other foreign forces will also not be allowed to remain safe. This is the basic condition. No one should attack us. If one body falls on our side, we will take a body from their side in return.”
He called for a stronger cultural counter-movement to resist “culturally and intellectually” the teachers, media professionals and legal experts who oppose the July movement.
The Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar described Hadi as a symbol of the people’s unity against Indian hegemony.
“The attack on Hadi is part of a broader plan by those who want to turn Bangladesh into a tributary state of India, who want to reduce us to subservience and who want to engulf this country,” Parwar said.
Sarjis Alam, a leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said that until India returns the assassins of Hadi Bhai, the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh will remain closed. “Now or Never. We are in a war!” he said.
A lady activist said that if India launches a military attack, thousands of Bangladeshis would be at the borders to challenge the attackers.
Nahid Islam, convener of National Citizen Party said that it would be wrong for India to assume that it can continue to interfere politically and meddle in the elections like before.
“India’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity also depend on Bangladesh. Therefore, India must also be cautious and maintain a respectful and dignified relationship with Bangladesh.”
United People’s Bangladesh Convener Ali Ahsan said the syndicate involved in the attack on Hadi must be crushed to the ground. “The Indian agent network and any Bangladeshi agencies involved must be brought before the public and punished.”
Representatives from different political and socio-cultural platforms, including Hefazat-e-Islam, Gono Samhati Andolon, Biplobi Workers’ Party, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Janatar Dal and Bangladesh Labour Party, also participated.
The Chief Advisor of the Interim government Dr. Muhammad Yunis said in his message that Hadi’s assassination was a “package conspiracy to sabotage the election (due in February 2026)”.
Newspaper Offices Torched
The offices of two leading dailies, “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star” were set on fire. However, the staff inside were rescued.
The offices of the Bengali cultural organizations “Chhayanaut” and “Udichi Shilpigoshthi” were also torched because as they promoted the “un-Islamic” music, dance, sculpture etc.
The July 2024 students movement and the Islamists had dubbed “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star”, which were neutral, liberal and moderate newspapers, as “pro-India” and vented their anger against them.
Prothom Alo said in a statement that the arson attack was a black day for independent journalism. “Through these incidents, there was not only an attempt to derail the upcoming election, but also a clear intent to severely damage Bangladesh’s image on the international stage. This terrorist attack is a clear example of a direct assault on democracy, press freedom, and the right to express dissent. We strongly condemn this incident and demand a proper investigation and that those responsible be identified and brought to justice.”
Different journalist organisations protested the attacks, arson, and looting at the offices of “Prothom Alo” and “The Daily Star” demanding that those responsible be brought to justice.
The Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Sazzad Alam Khan Tapu and General Secretary Akhtar Hossain said they the journalistic community is suffering from “extreme insecurity, while their family members are living in severe fear.”
“Journalists must be able to carry out their work without fear. Protecting them is essential to upholding the rule of law, democratic values, and an open, informed society,” their statement said.
The Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB), expressed deep concern and strongly condemned the attacks. In a statement signed by DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Arifuzzaman Mamun, the association said independent and responsible journalism is one of the main foundations of a democratic state.
“Violence, intimidation, attacks, or harassment aimed at silencing the media are in no way acceptable. Such actions are completely contrary to media freedom, the constitutional right to freedom of expression, and the rule of law,” the statement said.
DCAB strongly demanded that the perpetrators be identified and brought to justice through fair, impartial, and speedy investigations, and urged the government to take effective measures to ensure the safety and security of media professionals.
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