Fresh questions emerge over Hadi murder case plaintiff

Confusion and controversy surrounding the murder case of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi deepened on Friday after his sister questioned how an Inqilab Mancha leader became the plaintiff in the case, while the organisation issued a fresh seven-day ultimatum to the government demanding visible progress in the investigation.

In a Facebook post, Masuma Hadi said she rushed to Evercare Hospital immediately after learning that her brother had been shot and remained by his side throughout the ordeal. She questioned how Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Mancha, came to sign and file the case while close family members were present.

Masuma said she was not consulted despite being at the hospital and demanded clarification regarding who authorised the legal filing. She added that she had raised the issue repeatedly but had not received a satisfactory explanation.

According to her post, she was later informed that her elder brother, Omar Hadi, had told authorities that the family was focused on securing medical treatment for Sharif Osman Bin Hadi and would deal with legal matters later. However, she argued that in serious criminal cases, law enforcement agencies have the authority to initiate proceedings irrespective of who is named as the plaintiff.

Her comments have fuelled debate on social media, where questions have been raised about why no immediate family member filed the case and whether security concerns or other considerations influenced the decision.

Meanwhile, Inqilab Mancha organised a protest march on the Dhaka University campus after Friday prayers. The procession began at the university's Central Mosque and ended near Hadi's gravesite.

During the programme, leaders of the platform demanded swift justice for the killing, the identification of those responsible at the local level and the return of suspects who are allegedly abroad.

Addressing the gathering, Abdullah Al Jaber criticised what he described as the lack of visible progress in the investigation. He said the government had yet to present a clear roadmap for resolving the case despite being in office for several months.

Jaber said the organisation would no longer issue repeated ultimatums and demanded concrete answers from the authorities within seven days.

Inqilab Mancha also called for clarification on whether a United Nations-backed investigation would be conducted and urged the government to address allegations regarding possible cross-border involvement in the killing.

The organisation warned that if its demands are not met within the stipulated period, it will launch a sit-in programme at Shahbagh.

Attempts to contact Abdullah Al Jaber for comment on the questions raised by Hadi's family were unsuccessful.

The latest developments have added a new dimension to an already sensitive case, as legal, political and public debates continue alongside calls for transparency, accountability and justice.