Dhaka, Jan 16 (IANS) Bangladesh’s interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus has appointed Omar bin Hadi, brother of slain Islamist leader Osman bin Hadi, as a Second Secretary at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in United Kingdom’s Birmingham on a three-year contractual basis, local media reported on Friday.
The appointment was announced through a notification signed by Abul Hayat Rafique, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Public Administration, Bangladesh’s leading daily Dhaka Tribune reported.
According to the notification, Omar bin Hadi will not be allowed to engage in any other profession, business, or have any employment ties with any government, semi-government, private institution or organisation. Other terms and conditions regarding the appointment will be mentioned in a relevant contract.
Omar’s brother Osman Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 when assailants fired from a moving motorcycle at the rickshaw he was riding on Paltan Road in Dhaka. He was later airlifted to Singapore for medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
Hadi (32) served as a spokesperson for Inqilab Moncho and gained national attention during the 2024 July–August mass protests that ultimately led to the collapse of the government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He was also a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming February 12 elections and known for spreading Islamist and anti-India narratives in the South Asian nation.
On December 23, Omar bin Hadi accused a vested quarter within the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of orchestrating the killing of his brother to derail the February 2026 polls, local media reported.
Slamming the interim government, during a programme organised by Inqilab Moncho outside the National Museum in Dhaka, Omar Hadi said, “It is you who had Osman Hadi killed, and now you are trying to foil the election by using this as an issue.”
Omar added that his brother supported holding the national election by February and called on the Bangladeshi authorities not to hinder the election environment, Bangladesh’s Daily Star reported.
“Ensure a speedy trial of the killers so the election environment is not harmed. The government has failed to show us any visible progress. If justice for Osman Hadi is not delivered, you too will be compelled to flee Bangladesh one day,” Omar Hadi stated.
Bangladesh has witnessed alarming violence targetting minorities, media houses, cultural institutions and diplomatic missions under the Yunus-led interim government.
–IANS
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