Two principal suspects in the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab Mancha, appeared before a local court in West Bengal, India, on Sunday, 22 March. Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain were presented at the Bidhannagar Sub-Division Court in North 24 Parganas after completing a 14-day police remand.
When questioned by journalists regarding his alleged role in Hadi’s killing, Faisal firmly denied any involvement. “I did not commit this act. I was not engaged in such activities,” he asserted. However, he refrained from commenting when asked whether he believed he had been falsely implicated in the case.
Arrest and Cross-Border Background
Faisal and Alamgir were arrested on 8 March by the West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) in Bongaon, a town close to the Bangladesh border in North 24 Parganas. STF sources reported that both individuals had crossed the border illegally and were hiding in Bongaon, allegedly awaiting an opportunity to re-enter Bangladesh.
The murder occurred amid heightened political tensions in Bangladesh. On 13 December, one day after the announcement of the 13th National Parliamentary elections and the official voting schedule, Hadi was shot in the head while travelling in a rickshaw on Box-Calvert Road in Dhaka’s Purana Paltan area. At the time, he was being escorted on a moving motorcycle.
Following the shooting, Hadi was initially admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Evercare Hospital. Due to a rapid deterioration in his condition, he was air-ambulanced to Singapore on 15 December for advanced treatment. Despite intensive care, he succumbed to his injuries three days later, on 18 December.
Timeline of Key Events
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| 12 Dec | Hadi shot in Dhaka while in rickshaw |
| 12–15 Dec | Treated at Dhaka Medical College & Evercare Hospital |
| 15 Dec | Airlifted to Singapore for advanced care |
| 18 Dec | Hadi dies from injuries |
| 8 Mar | Faisal & Alamgir arrested in Bongaon, West Bengal |
| 22 Mar | Presented in Bidhannagar Sub-Division Court after 14-day remand |
Initially, on 14 December, Abdullah Al Zaber, member secretary of the Inquilab Mancha, filed an attempted murder case at Paltan Police Station against Faisal Karim Masud. Following Hadi’s death, the case was escalated to a formal murder charge.
The investigation remains ongoing, with further court proceedings expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the cross-border escape and the alleged involvement of the accused.
This case has attracted significant attention in both Bangladesh and West Bengal, given the political prominence of the victim and the cross-border dimension of the arrests. Observers note that the outcome could have wider implications for political activism and security along the Bangladesh–India border.