Bangladesh and West Bengal police are jointly investigating the motive behind the murder of Jhenaidah-4 MP Anwarul Azim Anar, who had been mysteriously missing before the grisly details of his death emerged.
West Bengal detectives suspect that Anar’s murder may be linked to a dispute over gold smuggling.
West Bengal Police Inspector General Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi confirmed that several suspects involved in the smuggling ring have been detained and questioned.
A special team of Indian police has also visited Dhaka to exchange information with their Bangladeshi counterparts.
Following the meeting, Bangladeshi police officials revealed that in the last few months, Indian authorities have seized illegal gold shipments worth around Tk200 crore, potentially triggering the killing.
According to sources, Anar was involved in ensuring the safe passage of gold smuggled from Dubai into Bangladesh.
However, a dispute arose when Anar demanded a higher commission, angering his friend and business partner, Aktaruzzaman Shaheen. The situation escalated after some of Shaheen’s gold consignments were intercepted at the Indian border.
Police sources indicated that the partnership soured when Anar withheld two gold shipments worth over Tk 100 crore. Shaheen, frustrated by Anar’s refusal to deliver the shipments or return the money, allegedly decided to have him killed.
Anar traveled to Kolkata on May 12 and stayed at a friend’s house. The next day, he left, purportedly to see a doctor, and never returned. His disappearance was followed by suspicious messages from his phone, suggesting no need to contact him.
On May 22, police confirmed that Anar was murdered in a flat in New Town, Kolkata.
Harunor Rashid, additional commissioner (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, stated that the murder had been planned for two to three months.
Meetings were held at Shaheen’s flats in Gulshan and Bashundhara to finalize the plan. The conspirators rented a flat in Kolkata on April 25, anticipating Anar’s visit.
On May 13, Anar was picked up from his friend’s house by a suspect and taken to the rented flat. Within half an hour of entering the flat, Anar was killed. Meanwhile, the suspect kept his phone active to mislead investigators.
After that, he could not be reached by phone.
Eventually, the government confirmed his death on May 22, quoting Indian police.