The Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy has announced the indefinite suspension of all its events and exhibitions. The decision was shared on the academy’s official Facebook page on Friday, 19 December 2025.

According to the post, the announcement follows a statement by Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, who declared 20 December 2025 as a day of national mourning in memory of the late Shaheed Sharif Osman bin Hadi. Owing to the official mourning and other unavoidable circumstances, the Shilpakala Academy’s activities, including cultural programmes and art exhibitions, have been suspended from 19 December 2025 until further notice.

The incident that led to this suspension occurred on 12 December 2025, during an election campaign. While travelling on a rickshaw along Box Culvert Road, Purana Paltan, Dhaka, Osman Hadi was shot by unidentified assailants on a moving motorcycle. He was immediately rushed to the Emergency Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Following his family’s request, he was later transferred to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, and on 15 December, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment. Despite intensive care, Osman Hadi succumbed to his injuries on Thursday, 18 December 2025.

His body was repatriated to Bangladesh on Friday, 19 December, arriving at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 5:49 p.m. The Inquilab Moncho has announced that, following the family’s wishes, the late Osman Hadi will be laid to rest beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, with a funeral prayer to be held after Juhur at Manik Mia Avenue.

The suspension of events at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy underscores the nationwide impact of Osman Hadi’s death on cultural and public life. The Academy, a hub for performing arts and exhibitions, plays a crucial role in Bangladesh’s cultural landscape, and the indefinite pause reflects both respect for the national mourning and the gravity of the situation.

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