Indian police have arrested Faisal Karim Masud, the main suspect in the killing of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, a leader of Inqilab Moncho, along with his associate Alamgir Hossain.
The arrests were carried out by the West Bengal Police Special Task Force near the Bongaon border in India. According to Indian media reports citing the Special Task Force, the two Bangladeshi nationals were detained on Saturday night following intelligence that they had entered India illegally and were hiding near the border.
The suspects were reportedly planning to return to Bangladesh when they were arrested. During initial interrogation, investigators found that both men fled to India after the attack and entered through the Meghalaya border. They later moved through several locations before reaching Bongaon.
Earlier, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police had claimed that the suspects were hiding in India, a statement that Indian authorities initially denied. On Dec 28, six days after the shooting, DMP officials said Faisal and Alamgir were residing in Meghalaya, but Indian authorities rejected the claim at the time.
Following the latest arrests, the suspects were produced before a local court and placed in police custody.
The killing occurred on Dec 12 in front of the Bijoynagar water tank in Dhaka, a day after Bangladesh announced its election schedule. CCTV footage showed two men arriving on a motorcycle and shooting Hadi at close range.
Hadi was critically injured and later died on Dec 19 while undergoing treatment in Singapore. Police previously said Faisal was riding pillion during the attack while Alamgir was driving the motorcycle.
The murder triggered widespread protests and political tension in Bangladesh. Demonstrators accused the attackers of fleeing to India, leading to protests near the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and other diplomatic missions.
The case also emerged during a sensitive period in relations between Bangladesh and India, which have remained strained since political changes following the 2024 mass uprising.
Acting DMP Commissioner Md Sarwar said Bangladeshi authorities learned about the arrests through media reports and are now working to confirm the development through official channels.
DMP Additional Commissioner SN Md Nazrul Islam, who earlier claimed the suspects had fled to India, said Indian authorities have not yet formally confirmed the arrests to Dhaka police.
