Third Arrest Made in Bangladeshi Activist's Murder Case in West Bengal

Arrests in the Murder of Sharif Osman Hadi

On Saturday, the Special Task Force of the West Bengal Police apprehended a third individual from Bangladesh in connection with the murder of activist Sharif Osman Hadi, according to reports.

Earlier, on March 7, authorities had detained two Bangladeshi nationals, identified as Rahul alias Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, near the Bongaon border for illegally entering and residing in India.

The latest suspect, Philip Sangma, is accused of facilitating the illegal entry of Masud and Hossain into India via the Haluaghat-Dalupara border area for a fee, as stated by police officials.

Investigators revealed that Sangma had subsequently entered India to avoid arrest in Bangladesh and traveled to various locations within the country. He was reportedly in contact with the other two suspects and was attempting to return to Bangladesh at the time of his capture.

During preliminary questioning, Sangma confessed to acting as a border facilitator, aiding illegal migrants in crossing over, as reported by police.

He was presented in court on Saturday and has been remanded to police custody for further inquiries.

Sharif Osman Hadi was a significant figure in the 2024 student protests that contributed to the removal of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina. He was shot on December 12 while leaving a mosque in Dhaka and succumbed to his injuries on December 18 in a Singapore hospital.

Hadi's assassination sparked unrest in Bangladesh, leading to attacks on the offices of major newspapers such as The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.

Bangladesh Police have alleged that Masud and Hossain entered Meghalaya with assistance from Indian locals and sought refuge there, although the Border Security Force of India has denied these allegations.

Authorities in Bangladesh have claimed that Hadi's murder was orchestrated by individuals associated with the Awami League and its student faction, the Chhatra League, labeling it as a politically motivated act.