Osman Hadi’s Inquilab Mancha Threatens Mass Uprising Against Yunus Interim Government After Anti-India Leader’s Killing

The political crisis in Bangladesh deepened on Monday as Inquilab Mancha, the platform founded by slain anti-India leader Sharif Osman Hadi, issued a stark warning to the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. The group threatened to launch a mass movement to topple the Yunus administration if justice is not delivered swiftly in Hadi’s murder case.

The ultimatum came after a 24-hour deadline, announced during Hadi’s namaz-e-janaza on Sunday, expired without any visible arrests or concrete action by law enforcement agencies. Dhaka-based daily The Daily Star reported that the lack of progress has intensified anger among Hadi’s supporters, many of whom accuse the government of deliberately stalling the investigation.

Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Mancha and a prominent critic of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, said authorities had failed to respond meaningfully to the platform’s demands. “The deadline has passed without any visible steps from the home adviser or concerned authorities regarding the arrest of the accused,” Jaber said. He announced a protest procession in Dhaka at 3 pm on Monday, during which the group would decide whether to continue backing the Yunus administration or formally launch a movement to remove it from power.

Jaber also alleged that the absence of the home adviser and his special assistant from a recent ministry briefing was a deliberate attempt to downplay the killing. Inquilab Mancha claims its ultimatum reflected the will of more than one million supporters across Bangladesh, warning that continued inaction could trigger widespread unrest.

The pressure on the interim government comes even as Bangladesh police’s Special Branch and Detective Branch admitted they have no concrete information about the whereabouts of the suspected shooter. Authorities have also said there is no evidence so far that the suspect crossed the border, countering claims made during protests that India was sheltering the alleged assailant.

Following Hadi’s death on December 12, Islamist groups and leaders from the National Citizen Party staged demonstrations across several cities, demanding that “India hand over the shooter.” Indian diplomatic missions in Dhaka and other cities were targeted during the protests, further straining regional sensitivities.

The latest escalation has raised questions about whether Inquilab Mancha — once a key supporter of the Yunus-led interim setup and a driving force behind last year’s protests that led to Sheikh Hasina’s ouster — is now turning against the very administration it helped install.

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Upping the rhetoric, Jaber accused the home and law advisers of “neglecting their duties” and warned of uncontrollable violence if justice is delayed. He demanded the formation of a Speedy Trial Tribunal to hear the case and suggested involving international agencies such as the FBI or Scotland Yard to ensure transparency. He also called for the identification and arrest of alleged Awami League-linked figures within civil and military intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, unrest continued on another front as minority organisations, led by the Minority Unity Front, held protests in Dhaka accusing the interim government of failing to protect vulnerable communities. The demonstrations followed the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Mymensingh, who was beaten to death and set on fire last week.

Authorities said 12 suspects have been arrested in connection with the lynching, but protesters warned that isolated arrests would not address what they describe as a broader collapse of law and order under the interim regime.