Tk 5m reward for tip-off on Osman Hadi’s shooter: home adviser

Home affairs adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has announced a reward of Tk 5 million (Tk 50 lakh) for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of the person who shot Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, an aspiring independent candidate in the Dhaka-8 constituency and convener of Inqilab Mancha.

Speaking after a meeting of the core committee on law and order at the home ministry conference room in the secretariat today, Saturday, the adviser also said that operation devil hunt phase two would be launched to crack down on what he described as “fascist terrorists”.

The adviser said that the interim government has expressed deep sorrow over the attack on Osman Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July mass uprising, and is treating the matter with the utmost importance.

The adviser said law enforcement agencies have been instructed to arrest those involved in the incident and that the perpetrators would be brought to justice as swiftly as possible. “No one involved in this attack will be spared. We firmly believe we will receive full cooperation from the public.”

He added that the government considers the attack on Osman Hadi an attempt to obstruct the upcoming parliamentary election. “Any attempt to disrupt or derail the national election will be dealt with firmly by the interim government.”

The home adviser said the interim government is fully committed to ensuring the security of frontline fighters of the July mass uprising, adding that special security arrangements have been put in place for them.

He also said operations by law enforcement agencies to recover looted and illegal firearms are ongoing and will be intensified. To this end, the core committee has decided to immediately launch operation devil hunt phase two to suppress fascist criminals.

Earlier, the government had launched operation devil hunt phase one on 8 February this year to curb terrorism, improve law and order, and bring criminals to justice, though it was later halted midway.

At the press briefing, the adviser said, “I ask you all to pray for Osman Hadi. He is in critical condition. With everyone’s prayers, God willing, he will return to us.”

The home adviser also said that candidates contesting the election who wish to possess firearms will be issued licences, and that firearms previously deposited with the government by candidates contesting the election will be returned to them.

Osman Hadi was shot Friday afternoon on Box Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, a day after the election schedule was announced. He was initially treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being shifted to Evercare Hospital in the capital.

Inqilab Mancha has said that Osman Hadi remains in a critical condition and that his health status cannot be confirmed with certainty until 48 hours have passed.