Police seek public help after releasing photo of Hadi shooting suspect

The man was initially identified after analysing CCTV footage from the scene, they say

Police have released a photo of a suspect in the shooting of Sharif Osman bin Hadi, convener of Inqilab Moncho, and are requesting public help to trace the man.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said the suspect was identified after analysing CCTV footage from the scene of the attack.

In a statement issued on Saturday, police said they were “actively searching” for the man and urged anyone with information about his identity or whereabouts to come forward.

Members of the public were asked to contact the national emergency number 999, the deputy police commissioner of Motijheel Division (01320040080), or the chief of Paltan Police Station (01320040132).

Police said the identity of informants would be kept confidential and that a reward would be offered for information leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Hadi, a prospective independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot on Friday around 2:15pm outside the capital’s Bijoynagar water tank.

The incident occurred shortly after Hadi had completed a campaign event at a mosque in Motijheel and was travelling by battery-powered rickshaw with colleagues towards Suhrawardy Udyan for lunch.

Police say an assailant riding pillion on a motorcycle opened fire at the moving rickshaw, hitting Hadi in the head.

He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors carried out emergency brain surgery. He was later transferred to Evercare Hospital, where doctors described his condition as critical. He is currently being treated in the intensive care unit.