'India Named On Social Media Assumptions': BNP Leader On Osman Hadi Killing Allegations

As India faces allegations of sheltering those involved in the killing of student leader Osman Hadi, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader ABM Mosharraf Hossain has said that the country’s name surfaced

largely on the basis of social media claims and assumptions, stressing that the matter remains under investigation.

Hadi, a prominent youth leader who was part of the July Uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh last year, died six days after he was shot in the head in Dhaka on December 12. His death triggered attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Hossain said there was no verified evidence so far to conclusively establish that the perpetrators had fled to India. “On the basis of social media, India’s name was taken. Most of the Awami League criminals left Bangladesh for India, so on the basis of assumption, the source was social media that the killers have escaped to India,” he said.

Hossain underlined that investigations into the Osman Hadi killing are still ongoing. “I don’t know much about Osman Hadi. It is under investigation,” he said, adding that drawing conclusions at this stage would be premature.

Responding to concerns over attacks on journalists and media freedom, the BNP leader said his party had taken a firm stand against such incidents. “We never support attacks on media. We protested very strongly. We don’t accept such developments,” he asserted.

The BNP leader also spoke about the return of Tarique Rahman, the party’s acting chairman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son, describing him as a national leader of Bangladesh. Hossain said elaborate arrangements had been made to welcome Rahman back to Dhaka. “Tarique Rahman is the national leader of Bangladesh. We have arranged a very big and huge reception in Dhaka,” he said.

Asked about the BNP’s future plans, Hossain said that if the party comes to power, Tarique Rahman would lead the country. “If BNP comes to power, Tarique Rahman will be the prime minister of Bangladesh,” he said.

Rahman, focusing on the need for elections and reforms in May this year, had questioned Muhammad Yunus’s mandate to make long-term foreign policy decisions.

He made it clear that Bangladesh will not seek closer ties with Rawalpindi or Delhi but put Bangladesh first. “Not Dilli, not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything,” he had declared at a massive rally in the Nayapaltan area of Dhaka, urging supporters to repeat the slogan.