July Unity and Islami Chhatra Shibir staged protest processions in Chattogram on Friday, condemning the killing of Inqilab Manch convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
At the conclusion of the demonstrations, speakers urged people to rise above party differences and remain united against any attack on July movement protesters. They called for patience and discipline to continue the movement in line with Hadi’s vision, warning against any form of provocation.
The protest marches were held in different parts of the city following Friday prayers. Islami Chhatra Shibir also brought out a separate procession from Jamiatul Falah Jame Mosque.
Under the banner of July Unity, a symbolic coffin wrapped in the national flag was carried from Andarkilla Shahi Jame Mosque to Jamalkhan intersection, where a rally was held. Leaders and activists from various organisations involved in the July–August movement joined the procession.
At the rally, speakers demanded the resignation of Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam, the immediate arrest of Hadi’s killers, and the establishment of a country free from Indian influence. The programme was moderated by July Unity organiser Abrar Hasan Riyad.
Anti-discrimination student movement leader Ibn Hasan Ziyad said Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam and Law Adviser Asif Nazrul could not evade responsibility for the murder. He insisted that the perpetrators must be brought back to the country, alive or dead.
Member secretary of the same movement, Tausif Imroz, said those who sheltered Awami League leaders and activists under the guise of mob activities must also be brought to trial.
People’s Rights Council leader Jasim Uddin criticised the interim government, saying it was formed with unprecedented public support but had now become the most failed government in the country’s history.
The rally was also addressed by Yuba Shakti leader Tipu Sultan, Manjur Alam—the brother of Mahbubur Rahman, who was killed during the July movement—and leaders of several other organisations.
Sharif Osman bin Hadi, convener of Inqilab Manch, had announced his intention to contest the 13th parliamentary election as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency. On 12 December, he was shot by a motorcycle-borne assailant while attending a public meeting in the Bijoynagar area. He sustained a head injury and was later airlifted to Singapore for treatment, where he died on Thursday.
Following news of his death, protest marches were held across the country, including in Chattogram on Thursday night.
During the unrest, protesters set fire to and vandalised the residence of former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury. A group later gathered outside the office of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner, before being dispersed by police.
