Dhaka Again Points Finger at India
Bangladesh police renew Meghalaya escape claim in Hadi murder case
- Bangladesh police allege key Hadi murder suspects fled to Meghalaya
- India firmly rejects claims, calls them baseless
- MEA reiterates support for free and fair elections in Bangladesh
- Case unfolds amid rising extremism and law and order concerns
GG News Bureau
Dhaka, 29th Dec: Bangladesh police have once again alleged that the two prime suspects in the murder of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi fled to India’s Meghalaya after the attack, renewing claims that New Delhi has already firmly rejected.
Senior Dhaka police officer SN Md Nazrul Islam told reporters that suspects Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh allegedly crossed into Meghalaya via the Haluaghat border with the help of local associates. He claimed that after entering India, they were received by an individual and transported to Tura city, according to a report by Bangladesh daily The Daily Star.
Hadi, 32, was shot in the head on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka. He was later airlifted to Singapore, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
India has categorically dismissed any suggestion of involvement. The Ministry of External Affairs last week rejected assertions made by Bangladesh’s interim government, reiterating that India has never allowed its territory to be used for activities hostile to Bangladesh. The MEA also underlined the need for Bangladesh to ensure internal law and order and conduct free, fair and peaceful elections.
The renewed allegations come amid growing concerns over rising extremism and a deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh following the change of government earlier this year. With national elections scheduled for February 12, political observers say the interim administration is under pressure to address security lapses.
Analysts have suggested that externalising blame could become a convenient narrative as Bangladesh grapples with mounting security challenges. Hadi, a spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho, was a prominent face during the 2024 mass protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government and was also a candidate in the upcoming parliamentary polls.
