Writ seeks arrest of Osman Hadi's killers, bring those abroad back via Interpol
The writ seeks the issuance of a rule and directives to ensure the arrest of the criminals involved in Hadi’s murder
A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking the arrest of those involved in the murder of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
The petition specifically demands that suspects currently abroad be repatriated via Interpol and that a travel ban be imposed on those still within the country.
Arifur Rahman Murad Bhuiyan, founder and executive director of human rights organisation SARDA Society, filed the writ today (21 December).
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The petitioner said a hearing could be scheduled before a division bench this week.
The secretary of the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the inspector general of Police (IGP), the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and the chief officer of the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB), Bangladesh have been made respondents.
The petitioner told reporters that the writ seeks the issuance of a rule and directives to ensure the arrest of the criminals involved in Hadi's murder.
"If the two main perpetrators are currently abroad, why should instructions not be issued to arrest them through international mechanisms, including Interpol, bring them back to the country, take legal action against them, and prevent the suspects from leaving Bangladesh?" he said.
The petition requests that the court issue necessary orders against the respondents to ensure justice in the case.
While the law enforcement agencies are yet to provide formal confirmation on the prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud's whereabouts, it has been widely speculated that the suspect has already fled to India.
Several people, who reportedly helped Faisal flee the country, have been arrested and sent on police remand. However, police have yet to comment on the matter officially.
Hadi was critically injured after he was shot in the head in broad daylight in Dhaka's Paltan area on 12 December.
He was later taken to a hospital in Singapore for advanced treatment, where he died on 18 December.
Hadi's funeral was held yesterday at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, with hundreds of thousands of people in attendance.
Since his death, supporters of Inqilab Mancha have been holding protests across the country, demanding the swift arrest of those responsible and accountability for alleged negligence by law enforcement agencies.
The organisation also issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government yesterday, warning of more stringent protest programmes if their demands are not met.
