Jhalakathi residents saddened by Hadi's absence from his birthplace

The burial of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson and young social activist Sharif Osman Hadi has been completed. However, the people of Nalchiti in Jhalakathi are deeply saddened by the fact that they did not get the opportunity to see their beloved son for the last time in their homeland.

Shaheed Hadi was buried next to the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam adjacent to the central mosque of Dhaka University at around 3:30 pm on Saturday (December 20).

Earlier, his funeral was held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban after 2 pm. In addition to the chief advisor, the funeral was attended by lakhs of people from different classes and professions, including advisors to the interim government, senior government officials, political leaders, students and ordinary people. The funeral was led by Hadi's elder brother Abu Bakar Siddique.

But the fact that Hadi's body was not taken to his birthplace, Nalchit, casts a shadow of grief there. Local resident Monir Hossain said,
"Hadi was like our younger brother. He was a very good person. If his funeral had been held in Nalchit, we could have been part of his last farewell. This pain cannot be expressed in words."

He also said,
"The government has made a lot of efforts for his treatment, even sent him to Singapore. But the body could have at least been brought to Nalchit and buried in Dhaka. Then we could have remembered him with pride for the rest of our lives."

Another resident, Shahidul Islam, said,
"Hadi's childhood, upbringing—all of it was on this land. So we expected his last farewell here too. But that luck did not come. We want those involved in this murder to be brought to justice quickly. It is unacceptable that good people will be killed, and bad people will escape."

Local youth Alvi said,
“Hadi Bhai used to plan work for the welfare of the country and the nation with us. Whenever he came to the area, he would sit with us and join us in workshops. We are deeply saddened that his funeral was not held in Nalchiti.”

All shops in Nalchiti town were closed from 2 pm to 6 pm on Saturday in memory of Hadi. Shahadat Alam Fakir, a member of the Nalchiti Upazila Businessmen’s Association, said,
“Osman Hadi is the pride of Nalchiti. We are saddened by his loss. Very few brave and humane people like him are born. We have symbolically closed all the shops in the town as we could not bring his body to his birthplace.”

It is worth noting that Sharif Osman Hadi was seriously injured in a shooting by miscreants on Box Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, Dhaka, on December 12, the day after the announcement of the schedule for the 13th National Parliament election and referendum. He was first admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later to Evercare Hospital. When his condition deteriorated, he was sent to Singapore by air ambulance on December 15.

He died on December 19 (Thursday) while undergoing treatment there. His body was brought back to the country on Friday and kept at the National Heart Institute Hospital morgue. A state mourning period was observed on Saturday for Hadi's death.

In this moment of mourning, the people of Hadi's birthplace, Nalchit, are making one demand - a speedy and exemplary trial for this murder.