Nikunja Erupts in Protest: 72-Hour Ultimatum to Arrest Killers of Osman Hadi

Jahid Ikbal, Special Correspondent, Dhaka – As the twilight glow settled over the capital, the air in the Khilkhet-Nikunja area carried a heavy mix of grief and defiance. The local community stood paralyzed in sorrow and erupted in rage following the untimely death of Osman Hadi—a fearless voice against hegemony and a dedicated “pen-soldier” of the ‘Jagrata July’ movement.

Thousands of students and common citizens began gathering in the Khilkhet area from 4:00 PM on Friday, responding to a call from the ‘Jagrata July Sangsad.’ The protest quickly transformed into a massive sea of people, all demanding justice for the slain leader and an end to foreign intervention.

On December 12, following Friday prayers, Osman Hadi—the spokesperson for the Inqilab Mancha—was struck by cowardly assassin fire during a public outreach program. Despite receiving initial treatment locally, he was flown to Singapore General Hospital for advanced care. However, the young revolutionary breathed his last on the night of December 18. Today, as his body was brought for final tributes, those in attendance were moved to tears, their voices rising in a collective demand for justice.

Following the rally, a massive protest march moved toward the Dhaka Airport area. Protesters shook the streets with slogans such as “Hadi’s blood shall not go in vain” and “Down with hegemony.” After circling the main roads, the procession returned to Khilkhet Bazar for a brief concluding assembly.

Speaking at the rally, Dr. M. Mahidul Islam Jihad, Convener of the Jagrata July Sangsad, became visibly emotional. He issued a stern warning to the authorities: “Osman Hadi was not just an individual; he was the living dream of a state based on justice. Those who physically pulled the trigger and those who pulled the strings from behind the scenes must be arrested within the next 72 hours. Otherwise, this fire will spread across the entire country.”

Other speakers at the event emphasized that Hadi’s death was not a mere casualty but the birth of a new consciousness. They remarked that while his personal struggle ended in a Singapore hospital, thousands of “Osman Hadis” have now taken up the mantle in every corner of Bangladesh to fight against dominance.

The evening concluded with a special prayer (munajat) for the peace of the departed soul. With tearful eyes, the crowd pledged that fulfilling Hadi’s dream—a sovereign and justice-based Bangladesh—would be their sole mission moving forward.