Making sense of Bangladesh’s ‘Hadi effect’ shaping the vote

Al JazeeraCenterEN 8 min read 100% complete by Faisal MahmudJanuary 23, 2026 at 09:47 AM

AI Summary

long article 8 min

In Bangladesh, the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi in December 2025 is significantly impacting the upcoming national elections. Hadi's death, unlike previous martyrs like Abu Sayeed, remains unresolved, fueling fervent public response and unprocessed grief. While Sayeed's death led to the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Hadi's martyrdom has not yet achieved a similar closure. This unresolved nature is driving intense mourning and public attention, creating what is being called the "Hadi effect." The article suggests this effect is shaping the political landscape as Bangladesh heads to the polls in January 2026.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

New Delhi 30% Dhaka ×260% Bangladesh Awami League 60% Sheikh Hasina ×260% Abu Sayeed ×470% Bangladesh ×380% Sharif Osman Hadi ×490%

Keywords

martyrdom 90% bangladesh elections 80% sharif osman hadi 80% public mourning 70% political uprising 60% sheikh hasina 50% political agency 50% abu sayeed 40% dictatorial regime 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.30

Source Transparency

Source

Al Jazeera

Political Lean

Center (0.00)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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martyrdom bangladesh elections sharif osman hadi public mourning political uprising sheikh hasina political agency abu sayeed dictatorial regime

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