DB seeks India's cooperation to extradite Aktaruzzaman from US

Bangladesh police have sought India's assistance to extradite Md Aktaruzzaman Shahin, the suspected mastermind behind the murder of Jhenaidah-4 lawmaker Anwarul Azim.

This request was made as India has an extradition treaty with the USA. The police are attempting to use this channel to bring Aktaruzzaman back.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) additional commissioner, Harun or Rashid, disclosed this information to reporters after returning to Dhaka from India. Harun led a police team to Kolkata on 26 May to investigate the high-profile case.

“Aktaruzzaman Shahin is the main planner of lawmaker Anwarul Azim’s murder. Since the incident occurred in India, Indian police will also be involved in locating the accused. We have requested their cooperation in extraditing Shahin. The Indian police have assured us that they will take appropriate measures after consulting their superiors,” Harun told journalists.

Harun revealed that Siam Hossain, another suspect in the murder, is currently in Kathmandu, while Shahin resides in the USA. The Inspector General of Police has shared the suspects' mobile numbers, passport numbers, and other details with Interpol. The Detective Branch is also maintaining regular contact with the Bangladesh embassies in the USA and Kathmandu to facilitate their extradition.

Harun detailed the gruesome discovery of Anwarul Azim’s dismembered body parts in the septic tank of a flat in Sanjeeva Gardens in Kolkata’s New Town. One primary objective of the visit to India was to recover these remains. Kolkata police will conduct DNA tests on the body parts and will provide the final confirmation.

Harun stated that the body parts were found in a place where human flesh is not typically present.

“This leads us to suspect they belong to Anwarul Azim. Kolkata police will soon disclose the DNA test results,” Harun stated.

Three individuals have been arrested in Bangladesh concerning the murder, including Amanullah, also known as Shimul Bhuiyan, identified as the main killer. Shimul Bhuiyan had multiple meetings with the murder's mastermind, and the information gathered from him was verified in India.

Harun added that the Bangladesh police shared information with India's CID, which is investigating the case, and they confirmed the accuracy of the details provided by the arrested suspects. Preliminary findings indicate that the murder was planned two months ago, with two prior attempts before the successful third attempt.

Regarding the motive behind Anwarul Azim’s murder, Harun mentioned that investigations are ongoing to determine if it was related to establishing supremacy, or was connected to political, financial, or social issues. The police are also probing whether Anwarul Azim had any business interests in Kolkata, as he traveled there frequently.

When asked about possible involvement of a gold trader, Harun responded, “The media is reporting various types of information. We are receiving diverse information from different sources, which we are compiling, discussing with the suspects, and evaluating. At this stage, nothing specific can be disclosed.”

Harun also mentioned a two-hour discussion with Kolkata gold trader Gopal Biswas, who provided potentially useful information for the investigation.