Hadi’s brother questions failure to arrest killers

“If criminals can open fire after Jum’a prayers in the heart of Dhaka and escape, there can be no greater disgrace for us as a nation,” he said while addressing thousands of mourners before the namaz-e-janaza of Hadi at Manik Mia Avenue in the capital.

He also demanded a quick and public trial of those responsible for the killing.

Siddique said his younger brother had devoted his life to protecting Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty and left behind a message for the country’s people on how to safeguard the freedom.

Hadi is survived by an eight-month-old child who will never know his father, he said, adding, “When the child was born, my brother asked me to choose a name reflecting revolutionary spirit and courage. I named him Firnas.”

He said the family has been shattered by the loss, with their mother repeatedly losing consciousness and other siblings suffering severe trauma.

He urged people to pray for Hadi’s wife and child, for his injured brother Omar Faruk who was with him during the attack and for his sister Masuma, who is undergoing treatment for severe trauma.

Siddique led the janaza prayers around 2:30 pm.

Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain described Hadi as a poet and cultural activist who co-founded the Inquilab Cultural Center to help shape a new cultural narrative for the country.

Inquilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al-Jaber alleged that the killing was the result of a planned conspiracy involving multiple actors.

He demanded that the killers, planners and facilitators be brought to justice and urged the Home Affairs Adviser and other officials to publicly explain within 24 hours what steps have been taken so far.

He also called on supporters to refrain from violence and warned against acting on any propaganda outside Inquilab Mancha’s directives, saying future programmes would be announced by the platform, reports UNB.