Staff Reporter :
In a deeply emotional speech delivered before the namaz-e-janaza of Sharif Osman Hadi in Dhaka on Saturday, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus said the nation would remember Hadi forever and strive to realize the ideals he stood for.
“O dear Osman Hadi, we have not gathered here to bid you farewell.
You live in our hearts, and as long as Bangladesh exists, you will remain in the hearts of its people.
Insha’Allah, no one can take you away from there,” he said moments before joining the funeral prayers at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
The Chief Adviser noted that millions had assembled in waves for the janaza, while countless others across the country and Bangladeshis living abroad were anxiously awaiting news of the farewell ceremony.
Emphasizing that the gathering was not a goodbye but a solemn commitment, Prof Yunus said, “We are here to make a promise to you-that we will fulfill what you asked of us.”
He added that this pledge would not end with those present but would be carried forward by generations to come.
“Not only us, but generation after generation of Bangladeshis will uphold this promise,” he said, noting that people had come together from all corners to reaffirm that resolve.
Recalling Hadi’s ideals, Prof Yunus said his love for humanity, his conduct with people, and his political philosophy had earned universal admiration. “We accept these values and make them our own,” he said.
He described Hadi’s message-drawn from National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam’s iconic poem Bidrohi, particularly the line ‘Bolo Bir, Chiro Unnata Momo Shir’-as a timeless mantra for the nation.
“You have given us a mantra that Bangladesh will never forget. It will continue to resonate in our hearts forever,” he said.
According to the Chief Adviser, this message would accompany every Bangladeshi throughout life, constantly reminding them that “our heads will never bow.”
“With this mantra, we will prove ourselves in every sphere of work. We will walk before the world with dignity and pride. We will bow before no one,” he added.
Referring to Hadi’s aspiration to contest elections, Prof Yunus said Hadi had shown how election campaigns should be conducted-with respect, restraint, and dignity.
“You demonstrated how to reach people, how to present ideas without disturbance, and how to engage with citizens honorably,” he said. “You taught us these lessons, and we have accepted them.”
He pledged to carry these teachings into public life and politics so that “Hadi remains alive among us.”
Reaffirming Hadi’s enduring legacy, Prof Yunus said, “You will never be forgotten. You will remain with us for ages, reminding us again and again of your mantra.”
Concluding his address, the Chief Adviser said, “Today, on behalf of all of us, we promise that we will move forward guided by your message.”
“Today, we entrust you to Almighty Allah,” he added.
Earlier, advisers of the interim government, senior officials, leaders of various political parties, and hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life joined the janaza and offered prayers for the forgiveness of Shaheed Hadi.
Hadi’s elder brother, Maulana Dr Abu Bakar Siddique, led the funeral prayer. Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain read out Hadi’s biography, while Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Zaber also spoke before the janaza.
The South Plaza of the Sangsad Bhaban and the entire Manik Mia Avenue witnessed an intense mix of grief and resistance, as some mourners broke down in tears while others chanted slogans against fascism and hegemony, demanding justice for Hadi’s killing.
Sharif Osman Hadi, a fearless frontline fighter of the July Uprising and spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, was shot on December 12 while travelling in a battery-run auto-rickshaw in the Paltan area of the capital.
He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Evercare Hospital as his condition worsened. On December 15, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on Thursday night, plunging the nation into deep mourning.
An aspiring independent candidate for Dhaka-8, Hadi is widely remembered as an “immortal soldier in the struggle against fascism and hegemony.”
