Citizen Initiative–a platform of students, academics, and professionals–has strongly condemned the violent assault on Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam in New York, describing it as part of a broader resurgence of forces opposed to last year’s July Revolution.

In a statement, the group said the attack was “not an isolated act” but rather evidence that elements aligned with the former authoritarian regime are reorganizing and mobilizing through media networks, community platforms, and propaganda campaigns to justify violence against those who stood for freedom and justice.

The platform emphasized that Mahfuj Alam was targeted not because of any personal shortcomings, but because he is seen as an opponent of the fallen regime and its ideology.

The statement criticized the silence of the Bangladeshi state and sections of civil society, calling such inaction a “moral and political failure” that risks emboldening authoritarian forces.

Reaffirming its support for the spirit of the July Revolution, Citizen Initiative urged progressive voices in Bangladesh and abroad to condemn the attack, reject the normalization of political violence, and stand in solidarity with Mahfuj Alam and others resisting authoritarianism.

The signatories of the statement are:

1. Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Assistant Professor, Northwestern University Qatar
2. Dr. Muhammad Usama Islam, Assistant Professor, Metropolitan State University, USA
3. Dr. Mahfuzul Hasan, Assistant Professor, Philander Smith University  & General Secretary, Socchar-Torture WatchDog Bangladesh
4. Abbas Islam Khan, Barrister at TBG Chambers, UK
5. Taib Ahmed, Ph.D. Candidate and Instructor, Colorado State University, US
6. Mahade Hasan, PhD researcher, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
7. Muhammad Ubaidul Haque, Academic Officer, University of Oxford
8. Mohammad Ishrak, Independent Researcher
9. Arafat Rahman Shoaishob, Activist, United Kingdom
10. Kaji Jahirul Islam, Mersin University, Turkey.
11. Abrer Mohsin Samin, Research Engineer, USA.
12. Abdullah Nayeem, Ph.D. Candidate, Université Laval, Canada
13. Tauhidul Islam, University of Melbourne
14. Md. Ohidujjaman, Senior Lecturer, IUB; Executive Editor, SottoNews, PhD Researcher, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)
15. Masum Munawar, Poet and Activist
16. Khalid Saifullah Khan Juel, Undergrad Student, University of Dhaka
17. Dr Nabil Ahmod, MBBS (ShSMC)
18. Rashed Sheikh, Film Maker
19. Tausiful Islam, Office Secretary, Dhaka University Journalists' Association
20. Ferdous S. Azad, Assistant Professor, Ahsanullah University of Science & Technology
21. Md Shahnawaz Khan Chandan, Assistant Professor, Institute of Education and Research, Jagannath University
22. Md Roknuzzaman, PhD candidate, University of Florida, USA
23. Md. Sazid Hasan Chowdhury, South Asian University, India.
24. Mohibul Hossain Taifur, Dhaka University
25. Ahsan Labib, Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh.
26. Kazi Md Mukitul Islam,  PhD Student, Boston University, USA
27. Muhammad Talha, Research Fellow, CGCS
28. Hasan Mahmud, University of British Columbia, Canada
29. Ahmad Sabbir, PhD Candidate, McGill University, Canada
30. Md Zahidul Islam Miaji, Lecturer, North South University, Bangladesh
31. Motiur Rahman Munna, Software Engineer.
32. Mawlana Md Shafiqur Rahman, Founder and Director, Madrashatul Foonun al Islamia, Dhaka.
33. Abdul Muhaymin, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey
34. Ishfak Farhan Siyam, Georgetown University, Qatar
35. Farhan Saleh Rafid, Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar
36. Md Abdullah Al Jubair, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar
37. Mohammad Arif ULLAH, Journalist at France Médias Monde (France 24, RFI & MCD)
38. Md Nahian Bin Hossain, PhD Candidate, The University of Texas at Arlington, USA
39. Arafat Hossain Bhuiyan, MPhil Student, University of Dhaka
40. Asif Muhammad Juberi, PhD Student, Arizona State University, USA
41. Jamal Uddin, Lecturer, Cornell University, USA
42. Md Shafiullah, PhD, Assistant Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia
43. Mahedi Hasan, PhD student, Texas Tech University
44. Russell Mohammad, Research and Development Engineer, Japan.
45. Sumaiya Rabeya, Research Fellow.  Malaysia. 
46. Md. Towfiqur Rahman, Banker, Bangladesh.
47. Md. Maruf Hossain Pranto, Student, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB)
48. Abrar Abir, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar
49. Shamsul Arefin, PhD Researcher, University of Massachusetts Amherst
50. Tareq Mahmud Azhari, Deputy Director, Institute of Islamic Social Finance
51. Shahriar Kamal, PhD student, Nagoya University,  Japan.
52. Barrister Shyikh Mahdi, Advocate, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
53. Muhammad Nurunnabi, Activist, UK
54. Muhim Mahfuz, Poet and Editor
55. Md Shoaib Hassan, Assistant Urban Planner, Sheltech Consultants Pvt. Ltd. 
56. Tarek Aziz, Graduate Student, University of Manchester, UK
57. Hasnat Siddiki Murad, Technische Hochschule Mannheim, Germany
58. Sumaya Tamanna, Project Manager, Socchar-Torture WatchDog Bangladesh
59. Ismail Hossain, Senior Journalist
60. Shamsul Islam Chowdhury, Education Consultant, Denmark

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