TBM Report
Bangladesh has formally requested consular access and detailed information from India regarding the primary suspects in the brutal murder of political activist Sharif Osman bin Hadi. The request follows the recent arrest of Faisal Karim, also known as Masud, and his accomplice Alamgir Hossain in the Bongaon area of West Bengal. The duo had been on the run since the assassination took place in the heart of Dhaka late last year.
During a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, State Minister Shama Obayed Islam confirmed that the Bangladesh Mission in Kolkata has already approached Indian authorities. “We are expecting immediate access to the detainees. Once the consular formalities are completed, the government will initiate the necessary legal procedures to bring them back to face justice,” the Minister stated. She further emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to trying those responsible for crimes against humanity during the July mass uprising, noting that the process to extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also actively underway.
The victim, Sharif Osman Hadi, was the convener of ‘Inqilab Mancha’ and an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency. On December 12 last year, he was shot in the head by unidentified assailants while traveling in a rickshaw in the Purana Paltan area. Despite being flown to Singapore for advanced medical care, he succumbed to his injuries on December 18. Police investigations later identified Faisal Karim, a former student political leader, as the shooter, acting under the direct orders of a former local ward councillor, Taijul Islam Chowdhury.
According to the West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF), the suspects illegally entered India via the Meghalaya border. They moved through various Indian states before being captured near the border while attempting to sneak back into Bangladesh. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ali Hossain Fakir confirmed that diplomatic channels are now fully engaged to ensure their swift extradition.
