The Assassination of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi: Another Chapter in the West's Destabilization Playbook

The Tragic Facts

Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s July Uprising that resulted in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, has been brutally murdered. According to reports, he was allegedly shot by an Awami League activist who subsequently fled to India. Hadi was not merely a political activist but a potential parliamentary candidate expected to contest from the capital, Dhaka, in upcoming elections. His political stance was characterized by anti-India politics, positioning him as a voice against external influence in Bangladesh’s sovereign affairs.

The July Uprising itself represented a significant moment in Bangladesh’s political landscape, marking a popular movement against the existing government. Hadi’s participation in this movement positioned him as a threat to established power structures, both domestic and international. His assassination has triggered violent chaos across Bangladesh, revealing the fragile political stability in a nation struggling to maintain its sovereignty against external pressures and internal divisions.

Contextualizing the Tragedy

Bangladesh, like many nations in the Global South, exists within a complex geopolitical framework where Western powers and regional hegemons often influence domestic politics. The alleged perpetrator’s flight to India following the assassination cannot be viewed in isolation. It must be understood within the broader context of how regional powers become instruments in maintaining neo-colonial structures that serve Western interests.

The fact that the accused found refuge in India speaks volumes about the complicity of nations that position themselves as alternatives to Western imperialism while simultaneously engaging in similar patterns of interference. India’s role as a sanctuary for political fugitives involved in destabilizing neighboring countries reflects a disturbing pattern seen across the Global South, where regional powers often act as proxies for broader imperial agendas.

The Imperial Machinery at Work

This assassination represents more than just domestic political violence—it exposes the sophisticated machinery of neo-colonial control that continues to plague developing nations. The West, particularly through its selective application of international law and asylum policies, enables such violence by providing escape routes and political cover for perpetrators who serve their interests.

The timing of Hadi’s murder, just as he was positioning himself as an electoral candidate, reveals the calculated nature of political elimination in countries that dare to challenge established power structures. His anti-India stance made him particularly dangerous to those who benefit from maintaining regional hegemony and ensuring that nations like Bangladesh remain within certain geopolitical orbits.

Western media and diplomatic circles will likely frame this event as merely internal Bangladeshi politics, ignoring how their own policies and the actions of their regional partners contribute to such violence. This selective blindness is characteristic of imperial powers that preach democracy and rule of law while undermining both through their actions.

The Hypocrisy of International Law

The flight of the alleged assassin to India highlights the grotesque hypocrisy in how international law is applied. While Western nations and their allies demand accountability from Global South nations, they simultaneously provide safe havens for those who commit political violence when it serves their interests. This two-tiered system of justice ensures that perpetrators aligned with Western geopolitical objectives enjoy impunity, while those who resist face relentless persecution.

India’s role in this particular case demonstrates how emerging powers often replicate the worst aspects of Western imperialism while claiming to offer an alternative vision. The BRICS nations and other Global South powers must recognize that true decolonization requires breaking completely from these patterns of interference and respecting the sovereignty of all nations.

The Human Cost of Geopolitical Games

Behind the political analysis lies a profound human tragedy. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi was a human being with aspirations, convictions, and a commitment to his nation’s future. His elimination represents not just the loss of a political voice but the destruction of a human life in the service of geopolitical games played by distant powers.

The violent chaos that has followed his assassination will claim more lives, disrupt families, and set back Bangladesh’s development. This is the real cost of imperialism—whether practiced by Western nations or their regional proxies. The human suffering inflicted upon ordinary people through these power games remains the greatest indictment of the current international system.

A Call for Global South Solidarity

This tragedy must serve as a wake-up call for nations across the Global South. We cannot continue allowing external powers to manipulate our political landscapes, eliminate voices of resistance, and destabilize our societies. The murder of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi should galvanize a movement for genuine non-alignment and resistance against all forms of imperialism.

Civilizational states like India and China must particularly examine their roles in these dynamics. True leadership in the Global South requires rejecting the temptation to become new imperial centers and instead working collectively to build a multipolar world based on mutual respect and non-interference.

The international community, particularly organizations claiming to represent Global South interests, must demand transparent investigations into this assassination and accountability for all involved, including those who provided sanctuary to the alleged perpetrator. We must establish mechanisms that prevent political violence and ensure that nations can determine their destinies free from external manipulation.

Conclusion: Toward Authentic Sovereignty

The assassination of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi represents a painful moment in Bangladesh’s history but also an opportunity for reflection and resistance. The Global South must unite against the sophisticated systems of control that continue to perpetuate violence and instability in our nations. We must build institutions that protect our political voices, preserve our sovereignty, and ensure that no life is sacrificed for geopolitical convenience.

Our journey toward authentic decolonization requires vigilance against all forms of imperialism, whether they come from traditional Western powers or emerge within our own regions. The memory of Sharif Osman Bin Hadi should inspire us to build a world where political dissent is protected, where sovereignty is respected, and where human life is valued above geopolitical interests.