At a seminar held on January 24 at Dhaka University’s R.C. Majumdar Auditorium, speakers said that failure to ensure justice for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi would leave a deep and lasting scar on Bangladesh’s democratic transition and the establishment of justice. They described the murder as not merely a personal tragedy but a reflection of state failure, a culture of impunity, and the exposure of fascist and hegemonic structures.

Professor Dil Rowshan Jinnat Ara Naznin, Hadi’s teacher and Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University, called him an exceptional individual who earned people’s affection quickly. She said the administration feared him for his truthfulness and termed the lack of justice an administrative failure. Hadi’s brother Omar Hadi said the family refused financial aid and urged prayers and justice. Other speakers, including PIB Director General Faruq Wasif and writer Rezaul Karim Rony, emphasized institutionalizing Hadi’s ideals and warned against political exploitation of his legacy.

Speakers also urged the state to identify any powerful forces behind the killing and ensure fair, not populist, justice, stressing that accountability is essential for democratic progress.