Kamal Hossain, driver of the battery rickshaw in which Hadi was shot, testifies in court

The investigation officer seeks permission to record his “voluntary” statement in court

Kamal Hossain, the driver of the battery-powered rickshaw on which Sharif Osman bin Hadi was shot, has given a statement in court as a witness.

On Thursday, the investigation officer DB Police Inspector Faisal Ahmed produced Kamal in court and applied for recording his statement as a witness.

According to the application, “At the time of the incident, Hadi was travelling in an auto-rickshaw driven by witness Kamal Hossain from Khalil Hotel in Motijheel towards Suhrawardy Udyan, when he was shot.

“He is a witness to the incident and is willing to give his statement before the court voluntarily.”

Following the application, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamshed Alam recorded his statement.

Hadi, who came into prominence through the July Uprising and the movement to ban the Awami League, had announced his intention to contest the parliamentary election as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency.

On Dec 12, he was shot while campaigning in the capital’s Bijoynagar.

Gravely wounded, Hadi was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent surgery, and was later admitted to Evercare Hospital.

Two days later, he was taken to Singapore by air ambulance, where he died on Dec 18 while receiving treatment.

After Hadi was shot, Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed a case of attempted murder on Dec 14. Section 302 was later added to the case.

So far, 11 people have been arrested in connection with the case.