Prime Suspect Faisal Flees to India; 2 Aides Caught in Meghalaya

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has confirmed that Faisal Karim, the prime suspect in the murder of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman Hadi, has successfully fled to India.

During a media briefing on Sunday, DMP Additional Commissioner SN Md Nazrul Islam revealed that Faisal crossed the border into the Indian state of Meghalaya shortly after the shooting. Through informal coordination with Indian authorities, Meghalaya police have arrested two individuals, identified as Putti and Sami (a taxi driver), for assisting Faisal’s movement within India.

Investigators traced Faisal’s highly organized escape route from Dhaka to the border, Faisal and his motorcycle driver, Alamgir Sheikh, fled Dhaka via CNG to Aminbazar, then moved through Manikganj to Haluaghat in Mymensingh.

The Crossing: Two accomplices, Philip and Sanjay, met them at a filling station. Philip facilitated the border crossing, handing Faisal over to Putti on the Indian side. Faisal was last tracked being driven by Sami toward Tura, Meghalaya.

While the prime suspect remains at large, the investigation has made significant headways, total 11 people are currently in custody, including Faisal’s parents, wife, brother-in-law, and girlfriend. Six have already provided confessional statements.

Police recovered two foreign pistols, 52 rounds of ammunition, and discovered Tk 21.8 billion across 53 bank accounts linked to the suspect. Authorities expect to submit the formal chargesheet within the next 7 to 10 days.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in the July Uprising, was shot in the head on December 12 in Bijoynagar while campaigning as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency. He succumbed to his injuries in Singapore on December 18. While the execution was clearly premeditated, the exact motive remains "unclear" pending Faisal's arrest.