The killing of 32-year-old anti-India leader Sharif Osman Hadi unleashed political mayhem in Bangladesh. He was shot to death by unknown assailants in Dhaka, which led to widespread protests, lynching and unrest across the country.
Hadi’s funeral was held amid tight security on Saturday. The funeral was also attended by the interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, his advisory council members, and Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman.
But the man behind the killing, Faisal Karim Masud, who remains central to the ongoing crisis, and is alleged to be Hadi’s killer, is still absconding from authorities.
Who is Faisal Karim Masud?
Masud was a leader of the Chhatra League (currently banned), the student wing of the ousted Awami League, the political party of ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, according to The Telegraph.
Masud had in fact participated in Hadi’s election campaign along with another suspect, identified as motorcycle rider Alamgir, before carrying out the attack, reported the media house, citing a local journalist.
Police had arrested Masud about a year ago in connection with an armed robbery at a school in Dhaka. A foreign-made pistol was also recovered from him.
Notably before carrying out the attack, Masud had told his girlfriend that something big was going to happen.
“It would be something that would shake the entire country,” Faisal told Maria, reported Dhaka-based Jamuna Television. “Something will happen tomorrow (on Friday), that the whole country will tremble,” newspaper Daily Jugantor quoted Faisal as saying.
Faisal is reportedly married to a woman named Saheda Parvin Samia, who has been arrested along with other family members.
Where is Faisal?
According to Bangladeshi media, Faisal was assisted by two individuals, Sibyon Diu and Sanjay Chisim, in crossing the border to India. Both have been arrested and have been remanded by a Bangladeshi court. The police said Sibion Diu was the nephew of a former Awami League member of parliament and had long controlled a syndicate facilitating illegal cross-border movement of people and goods in the Haluaghat, Dhobaura, and Sherpur areas into India.
There are, however, no confirmed reports of Faisal’s presence in India. Hadi’s ally had given Yunus’ government a 24-hour deadline to nab his killer.