‘Bringing them to justice’: Bangladesh seeks UN help to probe killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi

Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has approached the United Nations human rights office seeking assistance for a fair and transparent investigation into the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi.

Hadi, 32, a prominent figure during the July–August 2024 mass protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, was shot in the head during an election campaign event in Dhaka on December 12.





He later died on December 18 after being flown to Singapore for treatment.

UN human rights office formally approached

According to Bangladesh’s state-run BSS, the country’s Permanent Mission in Geneva sent a formal Note Verbale on Friday to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), requesting cooperation in the investigation.

The interim government’s Chief Adviser’s press wing confirmed the development on Saturday.

“The government of Bangladesh has reiterated that it is firmly committed to identifying those responsible for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi and bringing them to justice,” the press wing said, as cited by news agency PTI.

The request seeks technical and institutional assistance to ensure that the probe meets international standards.

Hadi was the spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and had emerged as a national figure during last year’s youth-led uprising. He was also contesting as a parliamentary candidate in the February 12 elections.

In January, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch filed charges against 17 people, including alleged shooter Faisal Karim Masud. Police said the killing was driven by “political vengeance” and carried out at the behest of the Awami League.

Detective branch additional commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam had claimed that Masud was linked to the Awami League’s student wing, Chhatra League, and that the murder was ordered by Awami League-nominated ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi.

Dispute over investigation and wider fallout

Hadi’s party has rejected the police chargesheet, alleging involvement of state agencies in the killing. The interim government had last year banned both the Awami League and Chhatra League.

The killing sparked violent protests across the country and further unsettled Bangladesh’s already volatile political situation.

The interim administration has pledged to ensure “the highest standards of transparency and accountability” in the case.

Hadi’s death also strained relations with India after some groups alleged an Indian connection to the crime. New Delhi has firmly denied the claims, dismissing them as a “false narrative”.

Supporters of Hadi have described him as a martyr and a symbol of Bangladesh’s youth-driven anti-establishment movement.