'India, Awami League Do Not Want Polls In Bangladesh': Osman Hadi’s Sister

Last Updated:December 22, 2025, 16:06 IST

Violent protests hit Bangladesh after Sharif Osman Hadi died in Singapore. His sister’s anti-India remarks worsened tensions as China ties grow.

Osman Hadi's Sister (in centre) Pic: BHS News

Violent protests erupted across Bangladesh following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who succumbed to gunshot injuries at Singapore’s General Hospital last week. Hadi, 32, had been critically wounded in an assassination attempt in Dhaka days earlier.

A key figure in Bangladesh’s 2024 student-led uprising, Hadi served as the spokesperson of Inquilab Mancha, or the “Platform for Revolution." He had also recently announced plans to contest the Dhaka-8 parliamentary constituency in Bijoynagar in the next general elections, expected in February 2026.

The protests have since taken on a sharply anti-India tone after remarks made by Hadi’s sister went viral on social media. In a video circulating online, she called for jihadi training in every household, irrespective of gender or age, including children, to “fight India."

“We should give jihadi training to everyone in every home, irrespective of gender, including children, to fight India," she said. Drawing comparisons with Indian freedom fighters, she added, “I did not see Khudiram Bose or Azad, but I have seen Osman Hadi. Hadi is a revolutionary leader."

She also issued a direct threat against India, declaring, “We Bangladeshis will not rest until Indian dogs are completely wiped out. This war began 200 years ago."

The remarks have further inflamed an already rising wave of anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh. Sections of political leaders and protest groups have alleged without evidence that those responsible for attacking Hadi fled to India and are being sheltered by New Delhi. These claims have not been independently verified but have intensified hostility toward India.

The current unrest reflects a broader shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape, with the country drawing closer to China and Pakistan over the past year. China has significantly expanded its economic and political influence in Dhaka, while Pakistan’s intelligence establishment is believed to be amplifying anti-India narratives to shape domestic opinion.

India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has recently warned that the evolving situation in Bangladesh could pose the most serious strategic challenge for India since the 1971 war. The committee cited concerns over political instability, the resurgence of Islamist forces, and the growing influence of China and Pakistan in India’s immediate neighbourhood.

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