The murder case of former Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi has taken a new turn, reigniting political tensions and prompting fresh diplomatic discussions in the region.
Questions have resurfaced over the possible involvement of both domestic and international actors in the killing.
Hadi’s supporters have long alleged that a neighbouring country was involved in the assassination, a claim that previously sparked strong reactions in political circles.
The controversy deepened following recent remarks by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who claimed that after West Bengal police arrested two suspects in the case, India’s union home minister instructed her not to speak publicly about the matter in the interest of the state.
At the same time, Hadi’s elder brother, Sharif Omar Hadi, made a series of explosive claims on social media. He alleged that several advisers to the interim government and some BNP lawmakers could be directly involved in the murder, although he did not name anyone specifically.
In another post, he claimed that the “background” for the killing had been created by a close aide to the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami.
The successive claims have added new complications to the case, intensifying public scrutiny over who was behind the murder and increasing pressure on law enforcement agencies to ensure a transparent and timely investigation.
On December 12, 2025, Hadi was shot at close range by a helmeted gunman on a motorcycle while travelling in a rickshaw near the Bijoynagar Box Culvert area in Dhaka. He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition and later airlifted to Singapore General Hospital on December 15.
After remaining on life support for several days, he died on December 18.
His death triggered widespread anger and protests across the country. Several incidents of vandalism were reported that day, including attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star in Dhaka, as well as damage to various establishments and the homes of Awami League leaders in different parts of the country.
The investigation was initially carried out by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Investigators later described the killing as a politically motivated and premeditated assassination.
The alleged mastermind and financier was identified as Shahin Ahmed, also known as Shahin Chairman.
According to investigators, the shooters—Faisal Karim Masud and his associate Alamgir Sheikh—hid two foreign-made pistols in Agargaon after the attack before moving the weapons to Narsingdi. Police said both suspects later fled to India.
Investigators also uncovered suspicious financial transactions exceeding Tk12.7 billion in bank accounts linked to Faisal Karim Masud and his associates, including members of the banned student organization Chhatra League.
On January 6, 2026, the DB submitted a charge sheet against 17 individuals. However, after a petition was filed by the complainant, a court ordered further investigation and reassigned the case to the CID.
On the night of March 7, the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) arrested prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud and his associate Alamgir Hossain in the Banga area of North 24 Parganas, near the Bangladesh border.
Indian authorities said the accused had entered India illegally through the Meghalaya border after the murder and were attempting to return to Bangladesh via West Bengal. During preliminary interrogation, they reportedly confessed to direct involvement in the killing.
A court in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, later sent them to jail on March 22 on charges of illegal entry. India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) subsequently took them into custody and questioned them for 11 days.
Bangladesh and India are currently pursuing diplomatic efforts under the extradition treaty framework to bring the suspects back to Bangladesh for trial.
Against this backdrop, Mamata Banerjee told a rally in Kolkata on Tuesday that after police in her state arrested suspects in a Bangladesh murder case, the union home minister called her and asked her not to comment publicly on the matter.
She further said: “Who was behind the killings? Whose names had emerged? We know everything.”
Following her remarks, Sharif Omar Hadi responded strongly on social media, making several controversial allegations in a series of Facebook posts on Tuesday night.
Omar Hadi, who is currently serving at the Bangladesh High Commission in the United Kingdom, claimed that a personal secretary to the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami had played a role in creating the circumstances that led to the murder. He also alleged that there had been significant pressure to remove Hadi from the Dhaka-8 constituency.
In a subsequent post, however, he withdrew his earlier remarks, saying the matter remained under investigation. He nonetheless stressed the need for an impartial inquiry into the events before and after the killing, arguing that no political party or government could evade responsibility.
In another post, he alleged that several advisers to the interim government and BNP lawmakers were directly involved in the murder and called for all those responsible to be brought to justice.
He also warned that failure to ensure justice could lead to further violence, drawing parallels with past political assassinations.
Following Hadi’s death, the interim government announced a Tk2 crore financial package for his family. The package included Tk1 crore for housing in Lalmatia and another Tk1 crore from the chief adviser’s fund for the future support of his wife and infant child.
Earlier, on January 15, a government notification appointed Omar bin Hadi, Hadi’s elder brother, as second secretary at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on a three-year contractual basis.
Responding to Mamata Banerjee’s remarks and Omar Hadi’s allegations, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed said Bangladesh was not attaching importance to comments made by the former West Bengal chief minister.
“Whatever others say about the Hadi murder case is not a matter for Bangladesh to consider. Bangladesh remains committed to bringing the killers to justice,” she said.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Mancha, told a press conference at Dhaka University’s Madhur Canteen that Mamata Banerjee’s comments suggested the possibility that individuals or organisations within Bangladesh may have been involved in the killing, and that disclosure of their identities could trigger significant reactions in the country.
He also said it would be a mistake to assume that Hadi was killed solely because of his anti-Awami League stance. According to him, investigators should examine whether any Indian involvement existed in the incident during the tenure of the interim government.
