What Is Inqilab Moncho? Why Is It Planning Mega Blockades Across Bangladesh | Here’s All We Know So Far

Bangladesh News: Inqilab Moncho has announced sweeping blockades across all divisional cities in Bangladesh from Sunday, as protests demanding justice for slain leader Sharif Osman Hadi intensified and expanded beyond the capital, Dhaka. The announcement was made both through a social media post and from Shahbagh intersection, where the group has been staging a sit-in since Friday.

According to the media reports, the blockades are scheduled to begin at 11 am local time.

Protests Spread, Roads Blocked In Multiple Cities

On Saturday, activists linked to Inqilab Moncho blocked key roads and held sit-ins in Dhaka, Sylhet, Chattogram, and Kushtia, pressing for the arrest of those responsible for Hadi’s killing.

In Dhaka, demonstrators who had occupied Shahbagh after Friday prayers temporarily moved to the area near Aziz Supermarket to allow BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman to visit Hadi’s grave in the Dhaka University zone. The protesters later returned to Shahbagh, once again bringing traffic to a standstill.

Women, children, and people from cultural and professional backgrounds also joined the agitation. The gathering included recitations from the Holy Quran, poetry readings, and slogans demanding justice, media reports said.

Leaders Warn Of Escalation

Addressing protesters at Shahbagh, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber warned that the movement would intensify if the authorities failed to respond.

He accused the government of indifference, claiming no senior official had visited the protest site despite the sit-in continuing for days. Warning of possible escalation, Jaber said future actions could include occupying key state locations such as the parliament, Jamuna, the chief adviser’s residence, or even the cantonment.

“If you believe the country can be controlled from within the secretariat or the cantonment, you are mistaken,” he was quoted as saying.

What Is Inqilab Moncho?

Inqilab Moncho is a socio-cultural and political platform that rose to prominence during the student-led July uprising that led to the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government. The group describes itself as a progressive organisation focused on opposing injustice and advocating a governance system rooted in accountability and fairness.

Sharif Osman Hadi, considered one of the faces of the July movement, formed Inqilab Moncho in August last year. He was also viewed as a potential candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Killing Of Sharif Osman Hadi And Wider Unrest

Hadi was shot on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw in Dhaka’s Old Paltan area shortly after Friday prayers. He later died while receiving treatment in Singapore. He was laid to rest near the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Dhaka University.

His killing triggered widespread protests and unrest across Bangladesh, with reports of vandalism and arson, including attacks on the Dhaka offices of leading newspapers The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

Separately, protests were also reported in parts of India following the alleged killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment factory worker in Bangladesh, who was reportedly lynched over blasphemy allegations. In another incident, a Hindu youth, Amrit Mondal, was killed in Rajbari district, with local media reporting that multiple cases have been registered in connection with the incident.

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