This tragedy is not merely the death of an individual; it is a lament for the assassination of a dream.
With the passing of Usman Hadi, a profound silence has descended upon Bangladeshi politics—one that paradoxically echoes like a scream.
Usman Hadi was not just a student leader; he embodied an intellectual movement. He represented the collective consciousness of a young generation seeking liberation from dynastic politics, repression, fear, and foreign influence—particularly the Indian influence that has held Bangladeshi politics hostage for years. The July student movement, which shook the very foundations of the Hasina Wajed government, was in fact the practical manifestation of this very consciousness. Usman Hadi was the face of that movement, its voice, and its courage.
He did not view politics as a contest for power, but as a burden of responsibility. As the spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, the position he articulated was not a slogan, but a coherent vision: a sovereign Bangladesh, dignified politics, and genuine participation of the youth. It was precisely for this reason that he became increasingly unacceptable to powerful quarters—especially those forces perceived as custodians of Indian interests.
The bullets fired on the streets of Dhaka were aimed at his body, but their true target was his ideology. An ideology that freed young minds from fear, that instilled the courage to question, and that asserted that politics is not the inheritance of a few families or foreign patrons—particularly India. His death in a Singapore hospital stands as testimony to the fact that oppression still crosses borders in pursuit of its victims, and that behind this pursuit, the Indian hand is clearly visible.
This incident can no longer be dismissed as an internal matter of Bangladesh. The protest held in front of the Indian High Commission in Dhaka is a powerful symbol that the public holds India responsible for this killing. The allegations against India are not mere conjecture; they emerge as the logical consequence of sustained political interference and cannot be brushed aside as emotional reactions. This is the point at which the neutrality and credibility of international institutions are put to the test.
We call upon global human rights organizations, the United Nations, and international bodies to treat the killing of Usman Hadi as a symbolic case, as the threads of this murder appear deeply intertwined with Indian political and covert interference. This is not political rivalry; it is a calculated attempt to impose silence. If silence prevails today, tomorrow every young voice that dares to challenge Indian hegemony will become a target.
Taking this matter to the International Court of Justice is not merely a legal necessity; it is a moral obligation. The world must decide whether a state like India has the right to engineer the politics of neighboring countries through bullets. If international law truly exists, it must not remain silent in the face of Usman Hadi’s blood.
Usman Hadi intended to contest the upcoming elections as an independent candidate. Within this aspiration lay the true essence of his politics. He did not wish to represent any power—least of all India—but to emerge as the choice of the people. History tells us that such individuals often live brief lives, yet leave behind enduring impacts.
Today, we are not burying Usman Hadi; we are inscribing him into history. We are preserving him as a memory, a metaphor, and a question. A question of whether the world genuinely believes in justice, or whether every principle falls silent before a powerful country like India.
Usman Hadi’s vision possessed the potential to alter Bangladesh’s destiny, and perhaps that is precisely why efforts were made to eliminate him. Yet the bitter truth remains that ideologies cannot be extinguished by bullets. Usman Hadi is no longer an individual; he is a movement—and movements do not die, they are reborn through martyrdom.
If the global conscience awakens, Usman Hadi’s blood will become the foundation of justice. And if the world remains silent, history will surely record that a visionary leader was murdered, that India stood behind his killing, and that the so-called civilized world merely watched.
The author
Hamid Ali Wahlah
Chairman & CEO, Eagle & Legal Eyes Global
Vice President, Pakistan 🇵🇰 Policy Institute USA 🇺🇸*
Former Director, Mega Scandals & Recovery, National Accountability Bureau (NAB)
