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Published : 06 Feb 2026, 07:24 PM
Police have rejected claims that Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Moncho, was shot during clashes with law enforcers, after reports of him being “hit by bullets” circulated on social media.
On Friday, a statement from Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said the force had not used any firearms or bullets to break up “illegal” assemblies around State Guest House Jamuna and surrounding areas.
Police said all forms of rallies, processions, mass gatherings, and demonstrations had been banned in and around the residence in the interest of the chief advisor’s security.
Despite the restriction, several groups with different demands attempted to advance towards the chief advisor’s official residence after breaking through police barricades.
Law enforcers moved to disperse the protesters using tear gas shells and stun grenades, police said.
Police said certain individuals were spreading “false and misleading” information on social media to divert the incident in a “different direction”.
While confirming that the protesters were moved on in a “systematic manner”, the DMP noted that several police officers were injured alongside a few demonstrators who sustained minor injuries.
The public has been urged not to be swayed by such “propaganda”.
Inqilab Moncho activists, who have been holding programmes demanding justice for the killing of their leader Sharif Osman Hadi, staged a sit-in on Thursday evening outside the chief advisor’s residence.
On Friday, the group called for a gathering near InterContinental Dhaka after Friday prayers.
Around 4pm, demonstrators moved towards Jamuna, resulting in clashes with police near the hotel area. Tensions spread from Shahbagh to Banglamotor.
Police deployed batons, tear gas, and sound grenades to disperse the crowd, during which several activists, including Jaber, were reportedly injured and treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
In the meantime, Inqilab Moncho’s Facebook page posted claims that Jaber had been shot.
Those receiving treatment include Jaber, Fatima Tasnim Zuma, spokesperson of the platform’s Dhaka University unit and former DUCSU editor for Liberation War affairs, and Salahuddin Ammar, general secretary of RUCSU.
Police said several others, including Monir, Faisal, Joy, Julkar, Mosharraf, Niloy, Anik, Umar, Rahat, Russell, Ahad, Mahin, Azad, Shamim, Sohel, Shawon, Jabed and Shamim -- all identified by single names, were treated in the emergency department.
DMCH Director Md Asaduzzaman said, “We have not found anyone among those seeking treatment who was injured by bullets.”
He said some of the injured suffered inhalation injuries from tear gas, others sustained muscle injuries from baton charges, while a few had minor cuts.
Stressing that none of those treated had injuries serious enough to require hospitalisation, he added: “We are providing treatment and releasing them. Many of them have already left.”
Following the social media reports, police formally stated that no firearms had been used.
By 5pm, the activists had blocked Shahbagh intersection, and police adopted a “cautious stance” near the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, newspapers whose offices were attacked, vandalised and set on fire on the night of Hadi’s death.
Hadi, a leader of the platform known for his activism during the July Uprising and movements seeking a ban of the Awami League, had declared his candidacy as an independent for Dhaka-8 in the parliamentary elections.
On Dec 12, 2025, Hadi was attacked while conducting outreach in Bijoynagar.
An assailant riding on a moving motorcycle shot him while he was on a rickshaw.
He was rushed to DMCH for surgery before being moved to Evercare Hospital the same night.
Two days later, he was airlifted to Singapore, where he later died while undergoing treatment on Dec 18.
