“We Have Not Come to Bid Farewell—Osman Hadi Will Live in the Hearts of All Bangladeshis”

Chief Adviser at Janazah

“We Have Not Come to Bid Farewell—Osman Hadi Will Live in the Hearts of All Bangladeshis”

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said, “Brave Osman Hadi, we have not come here to bid you farewell. You live within our hearts, and as long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain in the hearts of all Bangladeshis—no one can erase that.”

He made the remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking ahead of the janazah of Inqilab Mancha Convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi at the South Plaza of the National Parliament.

The chief adviser said, “Dear Hadi, we have not come today to say goodbye; we have come to make a promise to you—that we will fulfill what you stood for.” He added that people across the country have praised Hadi’s political vision, which must remain alive in everyone’s minds and be followed.

Professor Yunus further said that Hadi left behind a mantra the nation will never forget—‘Chiro Unnata Momo Shir’ (Ever Upright Is My Head). “That head will never bow. We must prove this mantra through our actions. Bangladesh will move forward with its head held high before the world,” he said.

Referring to elections, the chief adviser said, “Dear Hadi, you wanted to take part in elections. Along that path, you taught us how elections should be conducted—how to campaign, how to reach people respectfully, how to express views without causing harm, and how to approach citizens with humility. We have embraced these lessons and want to put them into practice so that Hadi’s presence remains alive in our politics.”

He added, “Hadi, you will not fade away. No one will ever forget you. You will remain with us for generations. We will repeatedly recall your mantra—‘Chiro Unnata Momo Shir.’ Today, we entrust you to Allah. Carrying your memory, we will continue on the path of national progress.”

Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber said that even a week after the incident, Osman Hadi’s killers have not been arrested. He demanded that the killers, planners, and accomplices be brought to justice, warning that if justice is not ensured within 24 hours, the home affairs adviser and secretary must resign. “We will give our lives, but we will not abandon the fight for justice,” he said.

After 2:00 pm, the janazah of Sharif Osman bin Hadi was held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament. Alongside the chief adviser, advisers of the interim government, senior officials, political leaders, and hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life attended. Standing beside the chief adviser were Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar, BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, and National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam. Prior to the janazah, Religious Affairs Adviser A F M Khalid Hossain addressed the gathering.

Marking the occasion, Manik Mia Avenue, the southern grounds of the Parliament complex, and surrounding areas were flooded with mourners.

Notably, on December 12—one day after the announcement of the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and referendum—Osman Hadi was shot in the head by assailants on Box Culvert Road in Old Paltan, Dhaka. He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later at Evercare Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance on December 15. He died there while undergoing treatment last Thursday. His body was brought back to Bangladesh on Friday and kept at the morgue of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. The government has declared a day of state mourning over Osman Hadi’s death.