Citizen Initiative expresses deep concern, outrage, and strong condemnation over the armed attack on Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha, parliamentary candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency, and a July fighter, who was shot today in Bijoynagar. He sustained life-threatening injuries after being struck in the jaw by a precise gunshot fired by assailants. Targeting an active citizen for assassination is not only an attack on him personally, but a direct assault on the country’s democratic and neutral electoral environment, freedom of expression, and political security.
Osman Hadi is not merely an organizer. Over the past year, in the post-July context, he has remained steadfast in his struggle to establish justice for people who have long been oppressed. Through his writings, street-based movements, poetry, and cultural resistance, he has for years continued an unwavering fight as a voice against fascist repression in Bangladesh. Standing beside people persecuted under the fascist rule of the Awami League and the grand alliance, he took great personal risks—this attack is a consequence of that courageous role.
Citizen Initiative believes that this attack is not an isolated incident; rather, it is a deliberate and planned act aimed at suppressing freedom of expression and intimidating democratic resistance and the July fighters.
We strongly demand that a swift, impartial, and transparent investigation into the shooting be initiated immediately, so that the truth is uncovered and those responsible are not protected in any manner. At the same time, the attackers must be arrested without delay and brought under the law to ensure exemplary punishment. The state must take effective and visible measures to guarantee the security of political workers, activists, and ordinary citizens, as the prevailing climate of insecurity is obstructing the exercise of democratic and electoral rights. It is also imperative to ensure the highest level of medical care for Osman Hadi, who is currently undergoing treatment in hospital, so that he may recover quickly and return to his just struggle against injustice and repression. Furthermore, despite prior security concerns, his being shot in broad daylight raises serious questions about the failure to ensure his protection; Citizen Initiative therefore strongly demands a judicial inquiry into the role of the concerned law-enforcement agencies.
Citizen Initiative believes that the attack on Osman Hadi signals a new chapter in the suppression of dissenting voices. However, we assert firmly that the aspirations for freedom of millions of people awakened in July cannot be silenced by bullets or attacks. The struggle for democracy and justice in the country will continue, and we will always stand beside fighters like Osman Hadi.
Sincerely,
Taib Ahmed
Secretary
Citizen Initiative
PhD Candidate and
Instructor, Colorado State University
Dr. Hasan Mahmud
Chairman
Citizen Initiative
Assistant Professor
Northwestern University, Qatar