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Tens of Thousands Join State Funeral of Assassinated Bangladeshi Student Leader

HeadlineDec 22, 2025

In Bangladesh, tens of thousands of mourners gathered Saturday at the state funeral for Sharif Osman Hadi, a leader of last year’s student-led uprising that toppled longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Hadi was shot in the head by masked gunmen in Dhaka last week as he was preparing to announce plans to run as an independent candidate in national elections next February. Protesters at his funeral demanded justice.

Saifullah Muhammad Sayem: “The feeling is so sad, because still we don’t know who killed our brother. We don’t know what is going on in the coming days. And still we are not in hope that justice will be ensured in our country. So, we think we have to fight long. We have to fight more and more.”

Authorities have identified a suspect in Hadi’s killing. Faisal Karim Masud was a leader of a now-banned student wing of the ousted Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Hasina. He remains at large.

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