Suspects infiltrated Osman Hadi’s campaign to ‘disrupt election’: chargesheet

Investigators say the killing was driven by “political vengeance”

The murder of Inqilab Moncho Convenor Sharif Osman bin Hadi was carried out to “obstruct” the parliamentary election, according to a chargesheet submitted by investigators.

The chargesheet says suspect Faisal Karim Masud and his associates infiltrated Hadi’s election campaign with prior planning to disrupt polling activities and intimidate voters.

In the chargesheet, investigation officer Faisal Ahmed said an analysis of the suspects’ political background and Hadi’s past political statements shows the killing was motivated by “political vengeance”.

It was placed before a court on Wednesday. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam reviewed the document, Sub-Inspector Rokunuzzaman of the prosecution police said.

Police’s Detective Branch submitted the chargesheet on Jan 6, naming 17 people, including former DNCC ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi and Faisal.

At a press conference on the same day, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said the murder was carried out as part of a plan allegedly orchestrated by Bappi.

Of the 17 suspects, 11 are now in custody.

They are key suspect Faisal’s father Md Humayun Kabir, mother Hasi Begum, his wife Shaheda Parvin Samia, brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu, and close friend Maria Akhter Lima, associate Md Kabir, and rent-a-car businessman Md Nuruzzaman Nomani alias Uzzal, facilitators Sibun Dew and Sanjay Chisim who helped suspects flee to India, Bappi’s brother-in-law Aminul Islam Raju, and Shipu’s close associate Md Faisal (not Faisal Karim Masud).

Police say Bappi, Faisal Karim, motorcycle rider “Alamgir”, cross-border facilitator “Philip”, Faisal’s sister Jasmine and her husband Mufti Mahmud are on the run.

Hadi rose to prominence during the July Uprising and the movement demanding the banning of the Awami League. He had announced plans to contest in the parliamentary elections as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency.

On Dec 12, Hadi was attacked while campaigning in the capital’s Bijoynagar. Police said the assailant fired at Hadi while he was riding in a moving rickshaw, shooting from the back seat of a moving motorcycle.

Gravely wounded, Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Later that night, he was transferred to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka.

Two days later, he was flown by air ambulance to Singapore for advanced treatment. After several days of treatment there, news of Hadi’s death emerged on Dec 18.

Following the shooting, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed an attempted murder case on Dec 14. Section 302 was added after Hadi’s death.

The investigation was later handed over to the Detective Branch.

Inspector Faisal of the DB Motijheel zonal team submitted the chargesheet to the court on Wednesday.

In it, he writes: “Based on witness statements, inspection of the crime scene, CCTV footage, confessional statements, testimonies of direct and circumstantial witnesses, seized evidence, information technology inputs, financial and banking records, DNA and ballistic examination reports, and postmortem findings, it is evident that [Hadi] became a target of hostility from leaders and activists of a banned organisation due to his role in the July 2024 Uprising and subsequent political activities.

“To obstruct the parliamentary election, instil fear among voters and weaken his resolve as a candidate, [Faisal] and his associates infiltrated Osman Hadi’s election campaign several days before the incident.

“On the day of the attack, they followed him from Motijheel and shot him on Box Culvert Road under Paltan Police Station while he was travelling in a moving autorickshaw, leaving him critically injured before fleeing.”

The investigator says blood swabs, fired cartridges and bullet-like materials were seized from the scene. Ballistic tests later matched these with firearms and ammunition recovered by RAB from Narsingdi. The postmortem report confirmed death caused by gunshot wounds, brain haemorrhage and shock, identifying the killing as ante-mortem and homicidal.

He adds that Hadi had repeatedly criticised the activities of banned organisations on electronic and social media, angering leaders and activists of the banned Chhatra League and its affiliated groups. The shooter Faisal had been involved in politics linked to the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The investigation also found that Bappi provided overall assistance to help Faisal and associate Alamgir flee across the border.