B'desh to hold funeral of slain youth leader amid tight security
Dhaka/ New Delhi (PTI): Bangladesh is set to hold the funeral of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi on Saturday amid tight security following unrest in the country triggered by his death.
The funeral prayer will be held at the South Plaza of the National Parliament Building at 2 pm, the press wing of the interim government of Bangladesh has announced.
The country is also observing a day of state mourning following the death of Hadi, who was one of the prominent leaders of the student-led protests last year, which led to the ouster of the deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led government. He was also a candidate for the scheduled February 12 general elections.
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Hadi, the spokesperson of the Inqilab Mancha, was shot in the head on December 12 by masked gunmen as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area. He died while undergoing treatment in Singapore.
The announcement of his death late on Thursday triggered overnight rampages in various parts of the country.
In a social media post on Friday, Inqilab Mancha said, "Upon the family's wishes, a decision has been taken to bury Hadi beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and to hold his funeral prayer after Zuhr tomorrow at Manik Mia Avenue."
The party also announced that there would be no public viewing of the body, and people were requested to pray for Hadi while maintaining order.
A large number of law enforcement personnel have been deployed in and around the Parliament complex, and a tight security cordon has been imposed across the entire area, according to the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.
The government has also imposed a ban on flying drones in the area, and those wishing to attend the funeral have been asked not to carry any bags or heavy objects, it said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police has said traffic will be suspended from Khejur Bagan Crossing to Manik Mia Avenue as a large turnout was expected, bdnews24.com news portal reported.
People from different parts of the country gathered at Shahbagh on Friday in a mourning procession, while attendees began arriving at Manik Mia Avenue from Saturday morning. The crowd is expected to grow as the day progresses, the report said.
As part of the state mourning, national flags were flown at half-mast at government offices, including the Secretariat in the capital, state-run BSS news agency reported.
Various parts of the country were rocked Thursday night by attacks and vandalism, including stone-hurling at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner's residence in Chattogram, attacks on offices of leading newspapers, and vandalism at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, soon after Chief Adviser Muhhamad Yunus confirmed Hadi's death.
The interim government on Friday urged citizens to resist violence by “fringe elements” as Hadi's body arrived here from Singapore, amid fresh unrest in the capital.
Hadi's mortal remains arrived at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at around 6 pm local time on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, amid heavy security.
After the flight's landing, videos shared on social media showed Hadi's followers lining up on both sides of the road from the airport to Shahbagh to receive him, before his coffin, draped in the national flag, was brought to the Dhaka University Central Mosque for a public meeting.
Former prime minister Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has alleged that unrest is part of a broader conspiracy to destabilise Bangladesh.
VIDEO | Bangladesh: People throng the Parliament area to attend the funeral of July uprising leader, Sharif Osman Hadi, in Dhaka.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 20, 2025
Hadi, one of the leaders who had taken part in the student-led protests last year – termed as July Uprising - and a candidate for the scheduled… pic.twitter.com/gVP3hmY1oS
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Kerala CM Vijayan flags ‘The Kerala Story 2’ as ‘threat to secularism’
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed concern over the upcoming release of the second part of 'The Kerala Story', claiming that its first installment was made with the "intent to spread hatred against the state and undermine its secular tradition."
Vijayan, in a statement issued by his office, also questioned how "poisonous works produced to spread division and hatred in society" were allowed to be screened, while a film like 'Beef' was barred from a film festival.
He further said that Sangh Parivar centres had taken over and spread the false narrative conveyed by 'The Kerala Story'.
“They are spreading false propaganda by portraying even marriages conducted with mutual consent as examples of communalism and forced religious conversion,” the CM said.
He contended that such forces view Kerala—with no communal riots and a tradition of mutual respect among communities—with hostility, and termed them “enemies of the state” attempting to destroy the peace and tranquility of the region.
“We must collectively reject attempts to portray Kerala, a land of religious harmony that stands at the forefront of sustainable development and is a model in maintaining law and order, as a center of terrorism,” Vijayan said.
“It is the responsibility of each of us to ensure that Kerala’s secular foundation is not undermined by false propaganda and to reject it by upholding the values of secularism and brotherhood,” he added.
Directed by Kamakhya Narayan Singh, the teaser of 'Kerala Story 2: Goes Beyond', was released recently.
The first film, 'The Kerala Story', won awards for Best Direction and Best Cinematography at the 71st National Film Awards.
