According to the previously announced program, the blockade was supposed to start at 2 pm, but by 11 am, protesters started arriving at Shahbagh intersection. They took up positions on the road next to the intersection and raised slogans.
After 2 pm, the Inquilab Manch closed the Shahbagh intersection, halting all traffic through Shahbagh.
It can be seen from the ground that leaders and activists are sitting in the middle of Shahbagh intersection, chanting slogans one after another.
At this time, the leaders and activists on the stage are chanting slogans like 'Naraye Takbir, Allahu Akbar', 'Aps na Sangram, Sangram Sangram', 'We want justice', 'Delhi na Dhaka, Dhaka Dhaka', 'Golami na Azadi, Azadi Azadi', 'Je Hadi jantar, se Hadi na mare', 'Hadi na Modi, Hadi Hadi'.
Leaders and activists of the Inqilab Mancha held a sit-in program at Shahbagh since Friday afternoon demanding the arrest and trial of Osman Hadi's killers. People from different classes and professions also joined in.
They left the area on Saturday night after Abdullah Al Jaber, the member secretary of the Inqilab Manch, announced a full-scale blockade in the divisional cities to disperse the movement.
Before announcing the all-out blockade, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Advisor on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Sheikh Md. Sajjat Ali, Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), arrived at Shahbagh around 11 pm yesterday. They briefed the protesting public on the progress of the Hadi murder case. They promised to file the charge sheet in the Hadi murder case by January 7. At the same time, they also promised to complete the trial as soon as possible. However, Inqilab Manch rejected this promise and announced a new program.
At a press conference organized at the DMP Media Center today, Additional Commissioner SN Nazrul Islam said that the main accused in the Sharif Osman Hadi murder case, Faisal Karim Masud, and his accomplice Alamgir Sheikh have fled to India. Two Indian citizens helped them escape. Meghalaya Police has arrested the two Indian citizens. The DMP said that the charge sheet in the case will be filed within the next 7 to 10 days.
Osman Hadi formed the Inqilab Manch in August last year and became a well-known face across the country by speaking out against the ousted Awami League and Indian domination. He was also campaigning to contest the upcoming elections from Dhaka-8 constituency. On December 12, he was shot at in the capital's Purana Paltan (Box Culvert Road) area. Osman Hadi was sent to Singapore for better treatment. He died there on December 18 while undergoing treatment.
