Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 student uprising and spokesperson of the political platform Inqilab Mancha, has died in Singapore after succumbing to injuries from an assassination attempt in Dhaka.
According to an official statement issued by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Hadi passed away on December 18, 2025, despite intensive medical treatment at Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Shot in Dhaka, Airlifted to Singapore
Hadi was critically injured on December 12 when unidentified assailants shot him in the head while he was travelling in a battery-powered auto-rickshaw on Culvert Road in the Paltan area of Dhaka.
He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital. Due to the severity of his injuries, Hadi was airlifted to Singapore on December 15 and admitted to the Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit at SGH.
“Despite the best efforts of doctors from Singapore General Hospital and the National Neuroscience Institute, Mr Hadi succumbed to his injuries,” the Singapore MFA said.
Singapore authorities are coordinating with the Bangladesh High Commission to repatriate Hadi’s body to Dhaka.
Who Was Sharif Osman Hadi?
Sharif Osman Hadi was a senior leader of Inqilab Mancha, an anti-Hasina political platform that rose to prominence during the July 2024 student-led uprising in Bangladesh. The movement eventually contributed to the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hadi was also an independent candidate for the upcoming February national elections, contesting from the Dhaka-8 constituency, and was actively campaigning at the time of the attack.
Although Inqilab Mancha played a key role during the student protests, the interim Yunus-led government later disbanded the group and barred it from contesting the national elections, citing security concerns.
Yunus Announces Probe, Declares Mourning
Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus expressed grief over Hadi’s death and announced a full investigation into the shooting.
“Today, I come before the nation with heartbreaking news. Sharif Osman Hadi, a fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, is no more,” Yunus said in a televised address.
Declaring a one-day state mourning, Yunus vowed that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice and urged citizens to maintain calm and restraint amid rising tensions.
Hadi’s death has triggered protests and heightened political unrest in parts of Dhaka, with supporters demanding swift accountability and stronger protections for political activists.
