Authorities have made notable progress in the investigation surrounding the attempted assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inquilab platform, following a meticulously planned operation by Rapid Action Battalion-2 (RAB-2). In a late-night raid on Tuesday, the elite unit successfully recovered eleven live rounds, two fully loaded magazines, and a knife—items believed to have been used in the attack. These were found near the residence of Faysal Karim Masud’s elder sister and were promptly handed over to the Detective Branch for forensic analysis and further inquiry. During the same operation, Faysal’s father, Humayun Kabir, was taken into custody, while his mother was brought to the RAB headquarters for questioning.
Additional Police Superintendent Shamsul Islam of RAB-2 explained that Faysal’s elder sister resides near the water tank in Colonel Gali, West Agargaon, under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station. Analysis of CCTV footage showed that on the morning of 12 December, Faysal and an accomplice left the residence on a motorcycle. Later, at approximately 4:05 pm, Faysal, his accomplice, his mother, and a niece were seen removing objects from a vacant space between two buildings. They were then observed leaving the area in a CNG-powered auto-rickshaw.
Acting on the CCTV evidence and confidential intelligence, a RAB team conducted a search of the premises, recovering the ammunition, magazines, and knife. In addition, the raid yielded a tablet, an Android smartphone, an older mobile phone, two National Identity Cards, five company cheques, fifteen bank cheque books, six passports, and 38 loose bank cheque leaves.
Humayun Kabir was subsequently apprehended in Narsingdi. During a search, and based on information from a local relative, authorities recovered three additional firearms from a nearby pond. Wing Commander M. Z. M. Intekhhab Chowdhury, Director of Law and Media at RAB, confirmed that Faysal’s mother was brought in for questioning to assist the ongoing investigation.
The December 12 attack took place in the Bijoynagar area of Dhaka, when assailants opened fire on Hadi from a moving motorcycle. Hadi, a prospective independent candidate for Dhaka-8, sustained critical injuries and was transferred to Singapore for advanced medical treatment. Law enforcement continues efforts to apprehend the principal suspects, who are reportedly believed to have crossed into India.
RAB emphasised that the recent recovery operation and the arrests of Faysal’s parents are expected to accelerate the investigation. Authorities remain confident that these actions will lead to the swift identification and apprehension of all responsible parties, thereby reinforcing public safety, maintaining law and order, and bolstering confidence in the nation’s justice system.