Luxury car of ex-AL MP Anar, who was killed in Kolkata, found in Kushtia
Mumtarin Ferdous Doreen, daughter of the late ex-MP Anar, claimed that the car belonged to her father and sought support from law enforcers to get it back
A luxury car, belonging to late former member of parliament (MP) Anwarul Azim Anar, has been found in Kushtia.
Anwarul, a former Awami League lawmaker for Jhenaidah-4 constituency, went missing in Kolkata on 13 May. Some of his body remains were recovered on 22 May.
Police and locals believe the Land Cruiser Prado found in the parking zone of a multi-story building in Kushtia city belongs to the murdered MP.
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Locals discovered the car last night (9 June) and informed the police. Later, a team from Kushtia Model Police Station went to the scene around midnight.
Meanwhile, Mumtarin Ferdous Doreen, daughter of the late ex-MP Anar, claimed that the car belonged to her father and sought support from law enforcers to get it back.
"The Land Cruiser Prado brand car that has been found in Kushtia belongs to my father. My father Anwarul Azim Anar is the owner of this car. My father and I used to travel in this car. We want our car to be returned to us," she said.
"Since the incident of my father's murder, we could not find this car. We have not sold this luxury car to anyone. We seek the assistance of law enforcement agencies to get it back," Doreen added.
The Land Cruiser Prado was found in the garage of an 8-storeyed building called Safina Tower, located in front of the Kushtia Superintendent of Police's office.
Police recovered the car's documents and stickers mentioning MP and CIP from the vehicle. The black car's license plate number is 'Dhaka Metro-Ga 12-6060'.
Locals said the black Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was brought to Safina Tower's garage three months ago.
After verification last night, police learned that the car belonged to MP Anar, who was murdered in Kolkata.
"We came to the scene after receiving information. The car's documents, stickers mentioning MP and CIP have been recovered. It is believed that the car belongs to former MP Anwarul Azim Anar from Jhenaidah-4 constituency," said Swapan, sub-inspector (SI) of Kushtia Model Police Station.
He said the matter will be investigated and legal action will be taken. "The car will be recovered and taken to the station."
Alamgir Hossain, the building's caretaker, said, "A cigarette company called Genuine Leaf Company has rented flats on the second, third and fourth floors. Foreigners stay there. They are the ones who arranged to keep the car. Belal is the GM, and Zahid is the CEO of Genuine Leaf Company. We don't know anything more than this."
Unwilling to be named, a building guard said, "They brought and kept the car. I don't know whose car it is. Today I'm hearing it's an MP's car."
"The cigarette company office officials kept this car several months ago. The car is not taken out much. But it's started occasionally. Driver Shanto starts the car," he added.
Attempts to contact Safina Tower owner and Genuine Leaf Tobacco CEO Zahid and GM Belal for comment were unsuccessful. This correspondent found no one except the caretaker and guard at their office.
Asked about the matter, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mosharraf Hossain of Kushtia Model Police Station said, "The matter is being investigated. Legal action will be taken in this regard."
Upon inquiry, this correspondent learned that Anwarul Azim Anar's name is mentioned in the car's registration and ownership documents.
According to the flat owner and tenant agreement of Safina Tower, Md Mustafizur Rahman, a resident of Banshbaria Dakshinpara of Meherpur district, rented three units of the building and three car parking spaces.
The car is currently in Mustafizur Rahman's parking space, which he has been renting since February 2025.
Mustafizur is a shareholder of Tara Tobacco, an organisation located in the Dash Mile area of Kushtia.
On 12 May last year, Anwarul Azim went to Kolkata and stayed at the Baranagar residence of his acquaintance, Gopal Biswas.
On 13 May, Azim left the house, reportedly for medical treatment, and never returned. That night, he was allegedly murdered at a duplex flat in New Town's Sanjeeva Garden complex.
Investigations revealed Azim's involvement in cross-border smuggling activities, particularly gold trafficking, which had reportedly built a vast illegal network between Bangladesh and West Bengal.
Law enforcement officials suggested the murder may have been linked to disputes over smuggling operations.
CID investigators discovered that after murdering Azim, the perpetrators dismembered his body and disposed of it in various locations.
CCTV footage from the Sanjeeva Garden complex showed one of the suspects, Bangladeshi national Siam Hossain. Siam and another suspect, Jihad Howlader, were arrested in May and June, respectively.
According to police, Jihad, a butcher by profession, used sharp tools to dismember Azim's body, placing the parts into large plastic bags. The remains were later discarded in the Krishna Mati canal area of Bhangar block in South 24 Parganas.
Some of Azim's remains were also found in the septic tank of the Sanjeeva Garden complex, including approximately four kilogrammes of decomposed flesh.
Forensic testing confirmed the remains matched the DNA sample provided by Azim's daughter.
The investigation involved collaboration between Bangladesh's Dhaka Metropolitan Police Detective Branch (DB) and West Bengal's CID.
A team led by DMP's former additional deputy commissioner Harun Or Rashid visited Kolkata, inspected the crime scenes, and held multiple meetings with CID officials.
In August, the CID submitted a 1,200-page charge sheet to the Barasat District Court in North 24 Parganas. Charges against the accused include abduction with intent to murder (Indian Penal Code 364), criminal homicide (IPC 302), destruction of evidence (IPC 201), organised criminal activity (IPC 34), and violations of the Foreigners Act.
