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New Delhi: Bangladesh's chief adviser Muhammad Yunus has said the nation would remember slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi forever and work to fulfil his vision, as he addressed Hadi's funeral at Sangsad Bhaban amid an outpouring of public grief.
Yunus said that while lakhs had gathered at the venue, crores of people across Bangladesh and Bangladeshis living abroad were following the funeral proceedings. "We have come to make a promise to you -- that what you told us, we will fulfil," he said, according to the Daily Star. He described Hadi's message as a "mantra" that would guide the nation, instilling dignity and resilience, and ensuring that "our heads will never bow down".
"You have given us such a mantra that this nation will never forget. It will echo in our ears forever," he said. Hadi was buried in Bangladesh on Saturday.
Emphasising Hadi's legacy, Yunus said the youth leader would continue to inspire generations through his ideals. "Today, on behalf of all of us, we promise to move forward imbued with your mantra," he said.
"Hadi, you wanted to take part in elections. You also outlined a process for how elections should be conducted. Let us all come together and adopt that process. You taught us everything—how to campaign, how to reach out to people. We have accepted those lessons," the chief advisor further said concluding his address.
Hadi, a youth leader, was shot in the head by masked gunmen on December 12 while attending an election campaign in the Bijoynagar area of central Dhaka. He was later taken abroad for advanced medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on Thursday. Following Hadi's death, a one-day state mourning was observed in the country on Saturday.
His killing triggered widespread unrest in Dhaka late Thursday and early Friday, with thousands taking to the streets demanding justice. The protests soon spread beyond the capital, with demonstrators attempting to march towards Indian diplomatic sites and vandalising properties linked to the former ruling Awami League.
During the violence, offices of major media houses, including Prothom Alo, were attacked, while protesters also targeted the partially demolished residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The government has, meanwhile, underscored the importance of the upcoming elections and referendum, calling them "a solemn national commitment" rather than a routine political exercise. It said the promise was inseparable from the dream for which Hadi had laid down his life, urging restraint and a rejection of hatred.
