Hadi killed for anti-AL remarks; charge sheet submitted: DB chief

Inqilab Moncho spokesperson and July Warrior Sharif Osman Hadi was killed by criminals backed by Awami League for speaking against the banned political party, said DMP’s Detective Branch (DB) Chief Shafiqul Islam on Tuesday.

The police have submitted to the trial court a charge sheet against 17 individuals, including fugitive prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud, the additional police commissioner said at a press conference held at the media centre of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Among the 17 individuals, police have so far arrested 12, he said adding most of the key suspects are members of Awami League’s affiliated bodies.

Tajul Islam Bappi, a member of Awami League’s (AL) youth wing Jubo League, ordered Hadi’s murder, Shafiqul noted. Bappi is Jubo League’s organisational secretary at Dhaka North and a former ward councilor in Mirpur area.

On the other hand, shooter Faisal Karim Masud was a member of AL’s student wing Chhatra League, and his associate in the murder, Alamgir, is an activist Jubo League at Adabor, said DB chief Shafiqul.

While self-exiled Faisal has recently released a social media video claiming he is innocent, police have found credible evidence of his involvement in the fatal shooting attack on Hadi, Shafiqul noted.

Bappi, Faisal, and Alamgir have fled to India. The other two accused, Faisal’s brother-in-law, and one named Philip have fled to unconfirmed locations, the police officer told reporters.

Hadi was shot in the head while travelling on a battery-run rickshaw as part of his election campaign on Box Culvert Road, Bijoynagar, Dhaka after the Friday prayers on 12 December. According to police, Faisal fired the shots at close proximity from a speeding motorbike.

On 18 December, Hadi died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore.