Bangladesh: Huge Crowd at Funeral of Assassinated Student Leader

Dhaka (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral on Saturday in Dhaka of a student leader who was assassinated, two days after violent protests erupted following the announcement of his death.

A massive crowd accompanied the funeral procession of Sharif Osman Hadi, a figure of the student revolt that led to the fall of the former autocratic Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

A candidate in the February 12 legislative elections, Mr. Hadi died Thursday in a Singapore hospital where he was receiving treatment.

This 32-year-old activist had been seriously injured on December 12 after being shot by masked assailants as he was leaving a mosque in the capital of Bangladesh.

Police officers equipped with body cameras were deployed in front of Parliament, where a prayer was held in his honor.

Mr. Hadi's body, repatriated on Friday, was buried at the central mosque of Dhaka University.

"We did not come here to say goodbye to him," said the head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, in an emotional speech.

"You are in our hearts and will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis as long as the country exists," affirmed the 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

Mr. Hadi was also known for his fierce criticism of India, Bangladesh's neighboring country and supporter of the autocratic regime of Mrs. Hasina, who is in exile in New Delhi.

For Iqbal Hossain Saikot, an official present at the funeral, Mr. Hadi was killed because he strongly opposed India.

He will continue to live "among the millions of Bangladeshis who love the land and its sovereign territory," Mr. Saikot, 34, told AFP.

The announcement of his death on Thursday evening triggered violent protests, with demonstrators demanding the arrest of those responsible for the assassination.

Buildings in the capital, including those of the main newspapers Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, were vandalized and set on fire.

These two dailies are accused by their detractors of being pro-India.

The human rights organization Amnesty International urged the interim government to conduct a "rapid, thorough, independent, and impartial" investigation into the assassination.

It also expressed concern after the lynching to death on Thursday of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu textile worker accused of blasphemy.

Mr. Muhammad Yunus indicated that seven people have been arrested, suspected of being linked to this murder in Bhaluka, in the center of the country.