Tarique offers fateha at Hadi’s grave

NEWS DESK

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman arrived at Dhaka University on Saturday and offered fateha at the grave of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho, who died a week after being shot on December 12.

Tarique, along with senior BNP leaders, first placed a wreath at Hadi’s grave at around 11:30am, paying homage to the July uprising activist.

He later offered fateha and joined a munajat seeking the salvation of Hadi’s departed soul.

Tarique and his party colleagues also placed a wreath at the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, located near the Dhaka University Central Mosque.

They also offered fateha and joined a munajat there.

Tarique left his Gulshan Avenue residence at around 10:40am in a white bulletproof SUV and reached Dhaka University campus at around 11:15am under tight security.

After paying homage and fateha at the graves of Hadi and the national poet, the BNP leader started his journey to the Election Commission office to complete National Identity Card (NID) registration and enlist himself as a voter.

He will later go to Mahbub Bhaban in Dhanmondi, his father-in-law’s residence.

From Dhanmondi, he will go to Evercare Hospital to visit his ailing mother.

Tarique was scheduled to visit the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR), popularly known as Pangu Hospital, to meet those injured during the July 2024 mass uprising, but the programme has been cancelled.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a leader of Inquilab Moncho and a prospective candidate for Dhaka-8, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan.

The shooting took place a day after the Election Commission announced February 12 as the date for the next national election.

For advanced treatment, Hadi was airlifted to Singapore, where he died from his injuries on the night of December 18.

He was laid to rest beside the grave of Kazi Nazrul Islam on December 20.

Aged 32, Hadi was a leading figure in the July 2024 uprising and served as the spokesperson for Inquilab Moncho.

Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on Thursday morning after nearly 17 years abroad.

His return has drawn widespread attention and strong emotions among BNP leaders, activists and supporters across the country.

He was greeted with a large and jubilant reception, with party leaders describing his homecoming as historic.