Inquilab Manch Launches Total Roadblock at Shahbagh Amid Calls for Justice

In a dramatic demonstration demanding the immediate arrest and trial of the perpetrators behind the killing of Shahid Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, Inquilab Manch has initiated a total roadblock at Shahbagh, Dhaka. The protest began shortly after 2:00 PM on Sunday, paralyzing traffic in one of the city’s busiest intersections.

The day prior, the organisation issued a nationwide call for a similar roadblock across all divisional cities. Although the planned programme scheduled the blockade for 2:00 PM, protestors began gathering at Shahbagh by 11:00 AM, occupying the roadside and raising slogans.

By mid-afternoon, Inquilab Manch had completely closed Shahbagh intersection, halting all vehicular movement. Onlookers reported seeing leaders and activists seated in the middle of the road, chanting slogans intermittently in a display of solidarity and civil defiance.

Some of the chants included:

• “Naray Takbir, Allahu Akbar”
• “No Truce, Only Struggle”
• “We Want Justice”
• “Delhi Not Dhaka, Dhaka Dhaka”
• “Slavery No, Freedom Yes”
• “The Hadi of the People Shall Not Die”
• “Hadi Not Modi, Hadi Hadi”

This protest builds on a continuous sit-in at Shahbagh that began on Friday afternoon, where members of the organisation, joined by citizens from various social and professional backgrounds, have been demanding accountability for Hadi’s murder.

On Saturday night, Inquilab Manch’s Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber announced the total blockade in divisional cities to extend the movement nationwide. Prior to the blockade, at around 11:00 PM, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali visited Shahbagh to brief protestors on the investigation’s progress. They promised the submission of the charge sheet by 7 January and assured speedy judicial proceedings. Nevertheless, Inquilab Manch rejected these assurances and announced further action.

Today, at a press briefing at the DMP Media Centre, Additional Commissioner S.N. Nazrul Islam confirmed that the principal accused, Faisal Karim Masud, along with his associate Alamgir Sheikh, had fled to India. Two Indian nationals allegedly assisted in their escape, but have since been arrested by the Meghalaya Police. The charge sheet is expected to be filed within 7–10 days.

Osman Hadi, who established Inquilab Manch last August, had emerged as a vocal critic of the ousted Awami League government and perceived Indian influence in Bangladesh. He was campaigning to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections from Dhaka-8 when he was shot on 12 December near Purana Paltan (Box Culvert Road). Hadi was flown to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on 18 December.

Key Facts: Osman Hadi Case and Protests :

The blockade at Shahbagh has brought traffic to a standstill and intensified public attention on Osman Hadi’s murder case. With nationwide protests coordinated by Inquilab Manch, the movement has escalated into a major political flashpoint in the capital.