Osman Hadi murder attempt: Plot allegedly planned for several months
Following the announcement of the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election, police have found indications of an organised network behind the shooting of Sharif Osman Hadi, convenor of the Inqilab Moncho and a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency.
According to sources involved in the investigation, the attack was carried out after several months of planning, with the intention of creating large-scale instability in the country. An escape plan was also put into effect immediately after the attack.
Police sources state that three individuals have so far been identified as being involved. Among them, the person who fired the shots while seated on the back of a motorcycle was identified as Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Rahul, a leader of the Chhatra League.
The motorcycle was driven by Alamgir Sheikh. Another individual, Rubel, was with them during surveillance of Hadi prior to the attack. Rubel is reported to be an activist of the Swechchhasebak League in Adabar.
Law enforcement agencies have also obtained photographs showing the three individuals together during various public outreach programmes attended by Hadi.
These images have already circulated on social media. Police have confirmed that all three are affiliated with Awami League–associated politics.
A source connected to the investigation believes that a plot to assassinate Hadi had been underway for several months. The identified individuals reportedly followed him for at least two months.
One of the primary objectives of killing him the day after the election schedule was announced was to create an unstable situation in the country.
On the night of the incident, a bus was set on fire in Badda, crude bombs were detonated at several locations in the capital and an election office in Lakshmipur was set ablaze. Authorities believe there may be a link between these incidents.
Have the suspects fled to India
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies believe that the ‘shooter’ Faisal Karim and Alamgir Sheikh fled to India within 12 hours of the incident via the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh.
On Saturday night, police conducted operations in the border areas of Haluaghat, Dhobaura and Nalitabari in Sherpur after identifying their possible locations.
During the operation, two individuals were detained on charges of involvement in human trafficking and brought to Dhaka. They are identified as Sanjay Chisim and Sibiron Dio.
A source connected to the investigation believes that a plot to assassinate Hadi had been underway for several months. The identified individuals reportedly followed him for at least two months. One of the primary objectives of killing him the day after the election schedule was announced, was to create an unstable situation in the country.
According to a related source, during interrogation Sanjay Chisim stated that between 1:30 am and 2:00 am on Friday night, they assisted two Bangladeshi nationals in crossing into India illegally. Law enforcement agencies suspect those two individuals to be Faisal and Alamgir.
At a press conference yesterday, Sunday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP)'s additional commissioner SN Nazrul Islam said that the two detained individuals were being questioned on suspicion of involvement in illegal cross-border movement and that information regarding those involved in the attack on Sharif Osman Hadi may be obtained through this interrogation.
In response to a journalist’s question, additional commissioner Nazrul Islam stated that Faisal’s passport number has been obtained. According to his most recent travel information, he likely returned from Thailand in July. Since then, there has been no record of his departure in the immigration database.
However, a statement issued yesterday afternoon by the chief adviser’s press wing said that police have already collected the movement record or travel history of the principal suspect (Faisal).
It shows that, identifying himself as an IT businessman, he travelled to multiple countries over the past few years. His most recent travel was to Singapore on 21 July.
Motorcycle owner on remand
On Friday afternoon, the day after the announcement of the 13th Parliamentary election schedule, assailants fired at Sharif Osman Hadi from a moving motorcycle in the Purana Paltan area of the capital.
Hadi is a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency and the convenor of the Inqilab Moncho. His condition remains critical.
A source involved in the investigation stated that Faisal’s full name is Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Rahul. However, after 5 August, he reportedly began introducing himself under the name Daud Khan.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested the owner of the motorcycle used in the shooting on Saturday afternoon after identifying the registration number.
His name is Md Abdul Hannan, a resident of the Chand Udyan area in Mohammadpur.
According to police sources, during preliminary questioning Hannan stated that he sold the motorcycle one year ago. He was placed on a three-day remand yesterday, Sunday through the court for further interrogation.
Who is the ‘shooter’ Faisal?
According to police and local sources, Faisal was a member of the central committee of the Chhatra League (whose activities are now banned) and also served as vice-president of Dhaka North Chhatra League.
He reportedly had close ties with Safi Muddaser Khan, also known as Joti, the son of former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. Several photographs of Faisal with Joti have circulated on social media.
Enquiries in the Adabar area reveal that Faisal maintained close relationships with several leaders of the local Awami League and its affiliated organisations.
He was closely associated with Md Masudur Rahman (Biplob), the personal assistant (APS) to former state minister and Awami League leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak, as well as with Asif Ahmed, former councillor of Dhaka North City Corporation ward no. 33 and nephew of the notorious top criminal of the Mohammadpur area, Joseph Ahmed. Alamgir Sheikh and Rubel of the Swechchhasebak League were among his key associates.
A source involved in the investigation stated that Faisal’s full name is Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Rahul. However, after 5 August, he reportedly began introducing himself under the name Daud Khan.
On 28 October last year, an armed robbery took place at an office on the fourth floor of the British Columbia School in the Baitul Aman housing society area of Adabor, Dhaka, during which Tk 1.7 million (Tk 17 lakh) was looted at gunpoint.
A case was filed with Adabor police station in connection to the incident, in which Faisal Karim was named as the principal accused. On 7 November last year, he was arrested from Adabor along with two foreign-made pistols.
On 16 February this year, he was granted bail by the High Court. Subsequently, when he applied again on 12 August for an extension of his bail, the High Court granted him a further one-year bail.
However, police have already submitted charge sheets against him in two cases relating to firearms possession and robbery.
In the robbery case and on the charge sheet, Faisal’s current address is recorded as house no. 41, road no. 9, PC culture, Adabor. When this address was visited yesterday, Sunday, security guard Jewel Rana stated that he had joined as a security guard at the house one month earlier and knew nothing about Faisal Karim. He added that the house owner resides on the first floor.
On the first floor, a woman stated that the house belongs to them and that neither Faisal Karim nor his family had ever lived there. She said she did not know any members of Faisal’s family and could not understand why police were citing this address.
On the first floor, a woman stated that the house belongs to them and that neither Faisal Karim nor his family had ever lived there. She said she did not know any members of Faisal’s family and could not understand why police were citing this address.
Adabor police station officer-in-charge (OC) Ziaur Rahman told Prothom Alo that Faisal Karim had been living as a tenant on the first floor of the mentioned residence in Adabor prior to 5 August last year. After 5 August, they left the area.
However, even two and a half months after the mass uprising of 5 August, the same address at road no. 9, PC Culture, was mentioned as Faisal Karim’s current address in the case documents and again six months later in the charge sheet.
When asked about the reason, the investigating officer of the case, sub-inspector Manmath Halder, told Prothom Alo that Faisal Karim’s permanent address had been confirmed and included accordingly, while the current address was taken directly from what was stated by the complainant in the first information report.
Local enquiries indicate that Faisal did not maintain regular contact with his ancestral home in Bauphal, Patuakhali. Investigation-related sources state that Faisal’s associate Alamgir Sheikh was involved in politics with the Jubo League in Adabor area.
He had not been living with his family for a long time. Last month, he rented a residence in Sector 12 of Uttara, where he was seen even three days before the attack on Hadi.
Evidence has been found that, prior to the shooting of Hadi, Faisal Karim had multiple telephone conversations with his wife, brother-in-law and friend. They have been brought under legal custody for questioning to determine whether they had any involvement in the incident.
Wife, brother-in-law and friend detained
When contacted on Sunday night, RAB’s director of the legal and media branch, wing commander MZM Intekhab Chowdhury, told Prothom Alo that after Sunday evening, RAB conducted operations in Narayanganj and Dhaka and detained Faisal Karim’s wife, brother-in-law and friend. They were handed over to Paltan police station.
Evidence has been found that, prior to the shooting of Hadi, Faisal Karim had multiple telephone conversations with his wife, brother-in-law and friend.
They have been brought under legal custody for questioning to determine whether they had any involvement in the incident.