Osman Hadi's platform threatens to topple Yunus govt after anti-India leader's murder

Inquilab Mancha, the program founded by killed anti-India leader Sharif Osman Hadi, has threatened to set in motion a mass front to tip the meanwhile government led by Muhammad Yunus if justice is not delivered in Hadi’s murder case.

The warning came after a 24-hour ultimatum issued during Hadi’s namaz-e-janaza on Sunday expired without any visible arrests or action by authorities, Dhaka-based daily The Daily Star reported.

“However, the deadline has passed without any visible steps from the home adviser or concerned authorities regarding the arrest of the accused,” said Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Mancha, a platform known for its vocal opposition to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Jaber announced a protest procession in Dhaka at 3 pm on Monday, during which the platform would decide whether to continue backing the Yunus administration or “launch a movement to topple it.” He alleged that the absence of the home adviser and his special assistant from a recent ministry briefing was an attempt to downplay the incident.

The warning follows the ultimatum issued by Inquilab Mancha claiming that its demands were voiced with the participation and consent of more than one million people across Bangladesh, but that none had been implemented so far.

The pressure campaign comes even as Bangladesh police’s Special Branch and Detective Branch have admitted that they have no concrete information on the last known location of Hadi’s suspected shooter.

Authorities also said there was no proof that the suspect crossed the border.

Following Hadi’s death on December 12, Islamist groups and several leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) staged protests demanding that “India hand over the alleged shooter,” targeting Indian missions in multiple Bangladeshi cities, including Dhaka.

The escalation has raised questions over whether Inquilab Mancha - once a key backer of the Yunus regime and a driving force behind last year’s protests that led to Hasina’s ouster - is now turning against the very administration it helped install.

Upping the ante, Jaber accused Yunus’s home and law advisers of “neglecting their duties and avoiding responsibility.”

“Justice must be ensured before the election. If you cannot ensure justice, once the people start shedding blood, it will be unstoppable,” he warned, demanding the identification and arrest of alleged Awami League associates within civil and military intelligence agencies.

He also called for the immediate formation of a Speedy Trial Tribunal to hear Hadi’s murder case and suggested seeking assistance from international agencies such as the FBI or Scotland Yard to ensure transparency. Jaber said Inquilab Mancha would remain on the streets until Hadi’s killers and their alleged patrons are “brought to justice.”

Meanwhile, leaders of minority organisations, led by the Minority Unity Front, held protests in Dhaka on Monday, accusing the interim government of failing to prevent violence, killings and persecution of minority communities.

The protest followed the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Mymensingh, who was dragged out of a factory, beaten to death and his body set on fire last Thursday.

The killing triggered nationwide protests by factory workers, students and rights groups, drawing concern from India.

“He claims he will build a humane Bangladesh, but in reality, he is an inhumane chief adviser,” said Manindra Kumar Nath, joint coordinator of the Minority Unity Front, addressing protesters outside the Jatiya Press Club.

Authorities said the anti-crime Rapid Action Battalion arrested 10 suspects in connection with the lynching, while police later detained two more. A police headquarters spokesperson confirmed that 12 people are currently in jail or custody as investigations continue.

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