Abdullah Al Jaber, member-secretary of Inquilab Mancha, has strongly rejected claims that Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi was killed on the orders of a ward commissioner, saying that “even a fool wouldn’t believe it.” He alleged that the murder involved an organized network and elements of the state.

Speaking after the “March for Justice” programme outside the National Museum in Shahbagh on Tuesday night, Al Jaber said, “The government claims that a ward commissioner allegedly ordered Osman Hadi to be shot, and that Faisal Karim Masud carried it out. No one in their right mind would believe that. There is a whole network behind this murder, and state machinery is involved. Until those responsible are brought to justice, our struggle will continue. We do not accept any charge sheet that excludes their names.”

The remarks came following the submission of a charge sheet by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB), which listed 17 people in connection with the killing of Osman Hadi. According to DB Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam, Hadi, who had initiated a new form of political activism, was shot on the orders of Tajul Islam Chowdhury, former ward councillor of Mirpur and organizational secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo League.

Al Jaber added, “We held peaceful protests to send a message to the government for justice. The content of the submitted charge sheet shows that the government has ignored this message and underestimated the public.”

He warned that if the government fails to ensure justice in Osman Hadi’s murder and cannot remove Indian dominance from the country, the people will decide the outcome, even if it requires sacrifices. Abdullah Al Jaber also said that new programmes would be announced, possibly targeting the resignation of legal and home affairs advisors before further action is taken.

Earlier on Tuesday, Inquilab Mancha leaders and activists carried out the “March for Justice” across ten locations in Dhaka, using ten pick-up vans. The march began at Shahbagh’s Shaheed Hadi Chattar at 11:30 AM and passed through Science Lab City College, Mohammadiapur Three-Roads Junction, Rayerbazar Killing Field, Mirpur-10 Golchattar, North BNS Centre, Jamuna Future Park, BRAC University in Badda, Rampura TV Centre, and Jatrabari Park, before returning to Shahbagh. At Rayerbazar, participants visited the graves of martyrs of the July uprising.

Addressing the crowd in Shahbagh, Al Jaber said, “We have marched across the city with four demands. If any of them seem unreasonable, speak up. But if they are justified, ensuring them is your responsibility. We carried the flag in one hand and the demand for justice for Hadi in the other. Until Hadi’s killers are brought to justice, the flag will not remain intact.”