Govt seeks UN help to probe killing of Hadi
Staff Reporter :
The interim government has sought the assistance of the United Nations to ensure an impartial and swift investigation into the assassination of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
Acting on instructions from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission in Geneva sent an official Note Verbale to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on 6 February, according to a media statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Sunday.
The government has requested technical and institutional support from the UN body to guarantee that the investigation meets international standards of transparency, accountability and human rights.
The statement said the foreign ministry would be informed once a response is received from OHCHR, which is headquartered in Geneva and serves as the principal UN body responsible for promoting and protecting human rights worldwide.
Established in 1993, OHCHR supports international treaty bodies, conducts field missions and monitors human rights situations across the globe.
Reiterating its commitment to justice, the interim government said it is determined to identify those responsible for Hadi’s killing and ensure they are held accountable through a credible and transparent process.
The move follows several days of demonstrations by Inqilab Moncho activists and supporters, who have taken to the streets demanding a UN-backed investigation into the murder.
Protesters have argued that an international probe is essential to ensure neutrality and public confidence, staging rallies and sit-ins in the capital and other parts of the country.
The demonstrations have drawn attention to broader concerns about political violence and the safety of emerging political voices during the transitional period.
Sharif Osman Hadi, an aspiring independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the capital’s Paltan area on 12 December last year.
He was later flown to Singapore for advanced treatment but succumbed to his injuries on 18 December.
His killing has sparked widespread outrage and intensified calls for an independent investigation, with demonstrators insisting that justice for Hadi is critical to restoring trust in the rule of law during Bangladesh’s ongoing political transition.