DHAKA: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday visited Dhaka University and offered prayers at the grave of slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi amid heavy security.
The 60-year-old BNP leader also offered prayers at the grave of Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, located beside the Dhaka University Central Mosque, The Daily Star newspaper reported.
Hadi was buried beside the grave of Nazrul Islam on December 20.
Rahman paid respects at the grave of Hadi, a spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, who was shot dead earlier this month in an attack that has heightened political tensions ahead of national elections scheduled for February.
Traffic for both vehicles and pedestrians was halted on both sides of the road from Shahbagh towards Dhaka University during the visit, while members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police were deployed along the route, news portal tbsnews.net reported.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir arrived earlier at the university to accompany Rahman during the visit.
Rahman returned to Bangladesh from London on Thursday, ending a long period of self-exile that began in 2008.
Hadi (32) was a prominent figure of the July 2024 uprising that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government last year.
He was also a parliamentary candidate for the upcoming elections.
Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka. He was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment but died of his injuries on December 18.