Osman Hadi murder: Arms seller Majedul placed on 3-day remand

A Dhaka court has placed Md Majedul Haque Helal, an arrested firearms seller, on a three-day remand in a case filed over the killing of Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam passed the order yesterday (15 April) after a hearing, Public Prosecutor Harun Ur Rashid confirmed.

Earlier, the investigating officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Abdul Kadir Bhuiyan of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), produced the accused in court, seeking a seven-day remand.

According to the remand petition, the accused is the owner of a firearms shop whose licence was valid until 31 December 2014 but was not renewed thereafter. It said the weapon used in the incident was purchased from Islam Uddin Ahmed & Sons without licence renewal.

The petition added that the accused needs to be interrogated to determine how the weapon reached the hands of the perpetrators. Verification of his identity and address is also underway.

It further stated that a seven-day remand was necessary for intensive interrogation in police custody to uncover the main motive and ensure a proper investigation. The court, however, granted a three-day remand.

No defence lawyer was present during the hearing. Police arrested Majedul from the Chawkbazar Police Station area in Chattogram on 14 April.

According to the case statement, Sharif Osman Hadi had been serving as the spokesperson of the political-cultural platform Inqilab Mancha formed after the uprising.

On 12 December at around 2:20pm, miscreants riding a motorcycle opened fire on him in the Box Culvert Road area under Paltan Police Station, leaving him critically injured with gunshot wounds to the head and below the right ear.

He was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later to Evercare Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was flown to Singapore by air ambulance on 15 December for advanced treatment.

He died on 18 December, about a week later, while undergoing treatment.

In connection with the incident, Inqilab Mancha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber filed a case with Paltan Police Station on 14 December over attempted murder, which was later converted into a murder case.

After completing the investigation, Detective Branch (DB) police submitted a charge sheet on 6 January against 17 individuals, including former ward councillor Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi and Faisal Karim Masud.

However, expressing dissatisfaction with the DB investigation, Abdullah Al Jaber filed a petition on 15 January. Following a hearing, the court accepted the plea and ordered the CID to conduct further investigation.