Faisal shot Hadi while Alamgir drove motorbike, police say; no case filed yet
'At this moment, we cannot confirm whether they (accused) have fled the country or are still inside Bangladesh', says Additional Commissioner Nazrul
Two suspects have been identified in the shooting of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, an aspiring independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency.
Suspect Faisal Karim Masud fired the shots at close range while another suspect Md Alamgir Sheikh drove the motorcycle used in the attack, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam at a press briefing held at the DMP Media Centre today (14 December).
"We have identified both suspects and are conducting raids at different locations to arrest them. The drives are still ongoing," he added.
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The shooting took place on Friday (12 December) on Box Culvert Road in Bijoynagar, near DR Tower.
Hadi was travelling in a battery-run auto-rickshaw when the assailants opened fire, hitting him in the head. He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent surgery, and was later shifted to Evercare Hospital in the capital the same night. His condition remains critical, police said.
Hadi's associates claimed that the attackers had been present at his election campaign activities since the morning of the incident. They alleged that the suspects had approached Hadi a few days earlier seeking to join his campaign and were welcomed by him.
Meanwhile, rumours circulated on social media from this morning suggesting that the two main suspects had illegally crossed the border into neighbouring India and fled to Guwahati. Police, however, said they could not confirm the claims.
"We have checked the immigration database and found no information indicating that they have left the country legally," Nazrul Islam said.
"We have obtained Faisal's passport details. According to our records, his last foreign trip was in July, when he returned from Thailand. There is no record of him travelling abroad after that."
He added that the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has been alerted to prevent any illegal border crossing. "At this moment, we cannot confirm whether they have fled the country or are still inside Bangladesh," he said.
In connection with the case, police have detained two other suspects – Sibion Dio and Sanjay Chisim – on suspicion of involvement in illegal cross-border movement.
Nazrul Islam said the two detainees were arrested during a raid in the Nalitabari area of Sherpur for their alleged involvement in facilitating illegal border crossings.
"The motorcycle owner has also been detained and is now in our custody for questioning," he added.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has detained Md Abdul Hannan, suspected to be the owner of the motorcycle used in the attack, and handed him over to police.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court placed Hannan on a three-day police remand.
No case filed yet
Nearly two days after the shooting, no case has yet been filed over the incident. Police said Hadi's family members have been occupied with his medical treatment and have not been able to lodge a case so far.
"We have been making efforts for the past two days to have the family file a case," Nazrul Islam said.
"A general diary [GD] has already been recorded. We are trying to prepare the case statement today and obtain the family's signatures at the hospital."
He added that if the family fails to file a case, police will proceed to lodge the case as the complainant.
