‘Today Shahbagh, Tomorrow Jamuna’: Hadi’s Inqilab Moncho Announces Blockades Across Bangladesh | World News
Bangladesh will witness widespread disruption on Sunday after Inqilab Moncho declared blockade in all divided cities and stepped up its agitation over the killing of its leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The protest movement, which started in Dhaka, has spread to multiple regions, increasing concerns about law and order.
The organization said the blockades would begin at 11 a.m. local time, according to a Facebook post cited by The Daily Star. According to Prothom Alo, the announcement was also made from Shahbagh in the capital, where Inqilab Moncho supporters have been holding a sit-in protest since Friday.
On Saturday, activists, especially from Inqilab Moncho, blocked major roads and staged sit-ins in Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram and Kushtia, demanding justice for Hadi.
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In Dhaka, protesters occupied Shahbagh after Friday prayers and spent the night there. On Saturday, they briefly moved in front of Aziz Supermarket to allow BNP deputy leader Tarique Rahman to visit Hadi’s grave near Dhaka University. According to The Daily Star, the demonstrators returned to Shahbagh around 12:40 pm, bringing vehicular movement to a halt.
Threat of Broader Action
Addressing the crowd in Shahbagh, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber warned that the protests would intensify if the government did not respond.
“Today we are in Shahbagh; tomorrow we may occupy Jamuna, the parliament and even the cantonment,” he said.
He accused the government of indifference, stating that despite the sit-in that has been going on since Friday, no consultant has visited the protest area. “While the consultants were sleeping in their homes, people were shivering in the streets,” said Jaber, adding that the public’s trust in the administration was decreasing.
“If you think you can control the country from within the secretariat or the canton, you are mistaken,” he warned. Emphasizing the group’s strength, he added, “On December 12, the day of Hadi’s namaz-e-janaza, if we wanted, we could have toppled the government. Your Jamuna or cantonment couldn’t have saved you.”
The protest in Shahbagh brought together a wide cross-section of society, including women, children, cultural figures and professionals. Poems were recited, verses from the Holy Quran were recited and slogans demanding justice were shouted in the field.
Details of Hadi’s Murder
Sharif Osman Hadi, who is considered a key figure in the mass uprising in July, founded Inqilab Mancha in August last year, according to Prothom Alo. He was also seen as a potential candidate for the Dhaka-8 seat in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
On December 12, shortly after Friday prayers, Hadi was shot while traveling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Dhaka’s Old Paltan. He later died while receiving treatment in Singapore. He was buried next to the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near Dhaka University Central Mosque.
Previously, Inqilab Moncho had announced that it would remain on the streets until those responsible for the murder of “martyr Sharif Osman bin Hadi” were arrested. The group also warned of laying siege to Jamuna, or cantonment, the residence of the interim government’s chief advisor, if the situation escalates further.
Spreading Unrest
Hadi’s death triggered unrest across Bangladesh; local media reported incidents of vandalism and arson, including attacks on the Dhaka offices of The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.
Separately, protests were reported in parts of India, including Kolkata, following the alleged murder of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker accused of blasphemy. It was reported that he was beaten to death on December 18, and then his body was hanged and set on fire.
In another incident, a Hindu youth named Amrit Mondal was lynched in Hosendanga village in Pangsha sub-district of Rajbari over an alleged extortion case. It was stated in the local media that many cases had previously been registered against him, one of which was murder.
As Inqilab Moncho continues to call for a nationwide blockade, authorities face increasing pressure to contain the unrest and meet growing demands for accountability.
(With agency input)
