Hadi laid to rest beside poet Nazrul’s grave

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, was laid to rest beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on the Dhaka University campus on Saturday.

His funeral prayers were held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban at around 2:30pm amid a large gathering of mourners.

Following the janaza, Hadi’s body was taken to the Kazi Nazrul Islam mausoleum premises on the campus at around 3:00pm. He was buried at around 3:20pm.

Earlier, a freezer van carrying the body of the slain Inqilab Mancha leader entered the mausoleum of Kazi Nazrul Islam on the Dhaka University campus.

Hadi's body had been brought to the parliament complex after an autopsy at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus attended the janaza and addressed the gathering before the prayer. He was joined by members of the Advisory Council, Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Shafiqur Rahman and Secretary Mia Golam Parwar, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, NCP Convener Nahid Islam, and leaders of several other political parties.

From 10:00am, mourners began arriving on Manik Mia Avenue in small processions to attend the funeral prayers. To facilitate the programme, vehicular movement was suspended on Manik Mia Avenue, while the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) urged city residents to follow special traffic instructions.

In addition to a large police deployment, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members were stationed at key points across the capital, including the parliament complex and other sensitive locations.

The DMP deployed a substantial contingent of police personnel along with 1,000 body-worn cameras to ensure security, said DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media) Muhammad Talebur Rahman.

Hadi’s burial took place after the prayer under heightened security. The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing had earlier requested attendees not to carry bags or heavy items and announced a strict ban on flying drones in and around the parliament complex during the janaza.

Preparations for the burial began in the morning beside the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam, near the Dhaka University Central Mosque. Grave-digging started around 11:30am.

Dhaka University Assistant Proctor Rafiqul Islam said that Hadi was buried on the south side of Nazrul’s grave, in the second slot on the east side along the central mosque.

The nation is observing a one-day state mourning today for Sharif Osman Hadi, described as a frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha.

On this occasion, the national flag is being flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government and autonomous offices, educational institutions, government and private buildings, as well as Bangladesh missions abroad.

Special prayers seeking forgiveness for Hadi’s departed soul were offered at mosques across the country after Jumma prayers on Friday, while other places of worship also arranged special prayers.

Hadi, who was preparing to contest the upcoming election as an independent candidate from Dhaka-8, was shot on December 12 while travelling in a battery-run autorickshaw in the capital’s Paltan area. He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital as his condition worsened.

On December 15, Hadi was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his gunshot injuries on Thursday night.