Dhaka, Dec 23: The interim government has decided to place the murder case of Sharif Osman Hadi under the Speedy Trial Tribunal, signalling a move to accelerate justice amid mounting public anger over the killing.
Law adviser Asif Nazrul said the case would be tried under the Speedy Trial Tribunal Act, 2002, which mandates strict timelines for completion of proceedings. In a Facebook post, he said the law requires the trial to be concluded within 90 days of the submission of the police investigation report, according to The Daily Star.
Home adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the investigation was progressing and described the case as a top priority for the administration. Speaking after a law and order meeting at the Secretariat, he said efforts were ongoing to arrest the prime accused, Faisal Karim Masud, and asserted that all those involved in the killing would be brought to justice.
He said joint forces comprising the police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh had so far arrested 10 people in connection with the case. Those detained include the prime suspect’s wife, his parents, his brother-in-law and the owner of the motorcycle allegedly used in the attack.
Asked about the whereabouts of the main shooter, the home adviser said investigators were continuing their search but declined to share further details, citing the sensitivity of the probe.
Hadi, a spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, was shot at close range on December 12 in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area, a day after the Election Commission announced February 12 as the date for the next national election. He was flown to Singapore on December 15 for advanced medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
His death triggered protests in parts of the capital, with demonstrators demanding swift and exemplary punishment for those responsible. Inqilab Moncho has warned of launching a mass movement to unseat the interim government if justice is delayed, alleging that earlier ultimatums had gone unanswered and accusing the authorities of lacking seriousness.
Hadi was a prominent figure during the July uprising that led to the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and was reportedly being considered as a potential candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency in the February 2026 national elections.
Following his death, the interim administration led by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus declared December 20 a national day of mourning, as calls for justice continued to intensify across the country.
