Inqilab Mancha spokesperson and prospective independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, Sharif Osman Hadi, has succumbed to his injuries. Doctors at Singapore General Hospital declared him dead on Thursday night.
Osman Hadi’s brother, Omar Hadi, confirmed to TIMES of Bangladesh the passing of the 31-year-old politician.
On 12 December, Sharif Osman Hadi was shot in the head near Box Culvert Road area under Paltan Model Police Station. While critically injured, he was first taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where he underwent one round of surgery.
He was later admitted to Evercare Hospital for advanced treatment. Subsequently, he was sent to Singapore under government supervision via air ambulance.
His body is likely to be flown back home Friday.
Nine arrested in attempted murder case
So far, a total of nine people have been arrested in a joint operation by RAB and police.
Those arrested are Shaheda Parvin Samia, wife of prime accused Faisal Karim Masud, Samia’s brother Wahid Ahmed Shipu, Faisal’s friend Maria Akter Lima, Abdul Hannan, registered owner of the motorcycle used during the assassination attempt, two men – Sanjay Chisim and Sibun Dew – who are allegedly involved in human trafficking along border areas, Faisal’s close aide and the actual owner of the motorcycle Md Kabir, Foysal’s father Humayun Kabir and mother Mosammat Hashi Begum.
Police said Abdul Hannan was shown arrested under Section 54 and placed on a three-day remand on Sunday. On Monday, Faisal’s wife, brother-in-law and Maria were placed on five-day remand. Md Kabir was also taken under a seven-day remand.
Recovery of weapons used in attack
On Wednesday, RAB recovered two foreign pistols, two magazines, a toy pistol and 41 rounds of ammunition used in the murder attempt from a water body near Mollah Bari in Tarua area of Narsingdi.
That same day, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police recovered the motorcycle used in the attack, along with a helmet and a fake number plate, from the Banalata residential area in West Agargaon under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station.
Main accused still at large
The prime accused in the attempted murder, Faisal Karim, and his associate Alamgir remain absconding. Nearly a week after the incident, law enforcement agencies have yet to arrest them, and there has been no significant progress in the investigation.
In a post, Inqilab Mancha said, “If the killer has fled to India, he must be arrested at any cost through discussions with the Indian government and brought back to the country.”
On 12 December, Dhaka-8 hopeful Hadi was attacked while visiting the Bijoynagar area for public outreach. The assailant, seated on the back of a moving motorcycle, shot Hadi, who was travelling on an auto-rickshaw. The bullet struck him in the head.
