By SM Najmus Sakib
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - Bangladesh witnessed a sea of people joining the funeral of the popular figure of the July 2024 uprising, Sharif Osman Hadi, in a state mourning on Saturday.
Hundreds of thousands of people joined the funeral of slain political activist and aspirant of Dhaka-8 constituency of the February 2026 election, held before the national parliament in Dhaka.
Hadi, 32, was laid to rest near the Dhaka University Central Mosque, next to the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, whose writings inspired an uprising.
"Today, hundreds of thousands of people have come. People are coming like waves on the road. At this moment, the eyes of millions of people are here. They are looking to know about Hadi," said interim government head Muhammad Yunus at the funeral.
We should all adopt the process of elections that Hadi has taught us. How to run a campaign, how to reach the people - you have taught us everything. We have adopted this lesson," Yunus added.
Diplomats, government officials, and political parties also joined the funeral.
Earlier, the UN called for a proper investigation into Hadi’s killing.
A suspected activist of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party shot him in the head on Friday in the capital Dhaka. The shooter reportedly fled to India.
However, Anadolu was unable to independently confirm it.
Bangladeshi police arrested 10 people, but have yet to officially confirm the suspects' reported location.
Hadi died in a hospital in Singapore on Thursday. His death also sparked violent protests, with several buildings and media houses vandalized and torched.