Dhaka [Bangladesh], December 20 : Activists of Inqilab Moncho gathered on Saturday for the funeral procession of their slain leader, Sharif Osman bin Hadi, as heavy security was deployed across parts of Dhaka, two days after he died in Singapore following his assassination.
Preparations for Hadi's funeral prayer are underway at Manik Mia Avenue, located south of the national Parliament Building. The funeral prayer is scheduled for 2 pm (local time). As the ceremony is just hours away, the area is witnessing heightened security arrangements and restricted movement.
Hadi, the Inqilab Moncho convenor, was shot at close range on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka's Bijoynagar area.
On December 15, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance for advanced medical treatment. He succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
Following news of his death, protests erupted across Dhaka, with activists demanding justice for their slain leader. Several rounds of demonstrations were reported on Friday, after Hadi's body was brought back to the capital.
While Inqilab Moncho has appealed to its supporters to maintain peace during the funeral procession, the situation in Dhaka remains tense.
Amid the unrest, several citizen organisations demanded the resignation of the home adviser, accusing him of failing to maintain law and order following Hadi's killing and the subsequent violence.
In a joint statement issued on Friday, 16 organisations expressed deep concern over the deteriorating public safety situation and called for immediate steps to restore law and order.
The groups include Ganatantrik Odhikar Committee, Network for Democratic Bangladesh, Charan Sanskritik Kendra, Naripokkho, Association for Land Reform and Development, University Teachers' Network, Nagarik Coalition, and Voice for Reform, BD News reported.
"Even one year after the [July Uprising], the interim government has failed to ensure citizens' safety from the ousted Awami League and other forces at home and abroad," it said.
Bangladesh's Editors' Council and the Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) also strongly condemned the attacks, vandalism and arson at the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, calling them a serious threat to press freedom.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) claimed that the violence following Hadi's killing was part of a conspiracy to create uncertainty ahead of Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, scheduled to be held in February next year.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir outlined the party's position at a press conference late Friday night after a meeting of the party's National Standing Committee.
"We condemn and express our disgust at these heinous incidents," Fakhrul said. "They show that a long-identified group is deliberately pushing the country towards chaos."
As Inqilab Moncho cadres gather for the funeral procession, the interim government remains under intense pressure to maintain peace in the capital.
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