Home
+
Published : 22 Mar 2026, 09:15 PM
Faisal Karim Masud, the prime suspect in the murder of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi, has denied any involvement in the killing after being produced before a West Bengal court.
Faisal and his associate Alamgir Hossain were presented at the Bidhannagar Court on Sunday following the expiry of their 14-day remand.
According to a report by the Indian media outlet Sangbad Pratidin, Faisal claimed while standing in the court that he did not commit these acts and “was not involved” at any length.
The court subsequently granted the West Bengal Police Special Task Force (STF) another 14 days of custody to continue their interrogation.
As he was being led to court under heavy police escort, Faisal faced a barrage of questions from local journalists.
In video footage circulated by Bangladeshi media, Faisal was seen maintaining his innocence.
"I did not do this. I was not involved in such work," Faisal was quoted as telling reporters when asked if he had been framed.
When questioned about why he fled to India if he was innocent, he remained silent.
Later, while being moved back to jail, Faisal took a more aggressive stance, labelling Hadi a "product of Jamaat-e-Islami" and a "militant".
“You’re making such a big fuss about Hadi. People in Bangladesh are doing the same. But Hadi is actually a product of Jamaat, he’s essentially a militant,” Faisal told journalists.
He alleged that the murder might be a "ploy by Jamaat and BNP".
The West Bengal STF arrested the duo on Mar 7 in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas district, near the Bangladesh border.
Preliminary interrogation revealed that Faisal and Alamgir had fled after the murder, entering India through the Meghalayan border.
They had moved through various locations in India before reaching Bongaon, allegedly planning to slip back into Bangladesh.
The murder case is currently being investigated by Bangladesh’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) following a court order.
Additional Inspector General of CID Md Shibgat Ullah previously promised steps to repatriate the suspects once their arrest was officially confirmed.
Hadi, who rose to prominence during the July Uprising and the movement to ban the Awami League, was shot on Dec 12 in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar.
He was travelling in a rickshaw when gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire. He succumbed to his injuries in a Singapore hospital on Dec 18.
On Jan 6, the Detective Branch (DB) of police filed a chargesheet naming 17 individuals, including Faisal as the key suspect.
Faisal’s father Humayun Kabir, mother Hashi Begum, wife Shaheda Parveen Samia, and brother-in-law Wahid Ahmed Shipu have also been implicated in the case.
While police have completed their initial probe, the Inqilab Moncho platform has expressed dissatisfaction with the chargesheet, seeking further investigation into the mastermind behind the assassination.
