Dhaka: Bangladesh is in turmoil following the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, an anti-India hardline leader and candidate from Dhaka-8. Amid nationwide chaos, including riots and arson, the government led by Mohammad Yunus has yet to apprehend any suspects. Questions are emerging about who actually stands to gain from Hadi’s death, with Bangladesh’s two major political parties, BNP and Awami League, reportedly not benefiting from the incident.
Alleged Jamaat Connection
According to an India Today report, BNP leader and former MP Nilofar Chowdhury Moni alleged that Faisal Karim, accused of assassinating Hadi, was twice granted bail over the past two years by Mohammad Shishir Monir, a senior leader of Jamaat-e-Islami and lawyer at the Supreme Court. Monir is a former secretary of Jamaat’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and is contesting the upcoming elections from Sunamganj-2 on a Jamaat ticket.
Who Was Osman Hadi?
Hadi was a staunch anti-India figure and spokesperson for the opposition Inquilab Forum, which opposes Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On 12 December, masked gunmen on motorcycles shot him dead in broad daylight. Following his murder, extremist groups and political rivals accused the shooter of fleeing to India, though Dhaka police confirmed twice that there is no evidence supporting this claim.
Anti-India Sentiments Fuelled
Following the assassination, India-critical political and Islamic extremist groups intensified their rhetoric, targeting Indian diplomatic missions and raising anti-India slogans. Despite this, the Yunus government formally reached out to India, requesting cooperation in locating and extraditing the shooter if found on Indian soil.
Who Truly Benefits?
Political analyst Nahid Helal, based in Paris, argued that the real beneficiaries are Jamaat and affiliated extremist factions. In his YouTube analysis, he noted that Hadi’s death provided extremists with pretexts to target minorities, intimidate media outlets, attack Awami League activists, and disrupt elections. Helal emphasized that neither BNP nor Awami League gains politically. BNP’s senior leader Mirza Abbas was contesting from Dhaka-8, while Hadi ran as an independent.
NCP and Student Shibir Gain Ground
Helal further explained that Hadi’s removal strategically benefits extremist groups such as NCP and Jamaat Shibir, providing them a tactical advantage in the upcoming polls. He stated, “Politically, Hadi and Mirza Abbas were not direct competitors; Hadi was less influential. However, the assassination opens opportunities for Jamaat Shibir and aligned extremist factions to consolidate influence and exploit instability for political leverage.”
The incident underscores Bangladesh’s volatile political climate and the rising influence of extremist factions amid upcoming elections.
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