Bangladeshi authorities have identified the prime suspect in the assassination of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, as police scramble to locate the alleged gunman amid a 24-hour ultimatum from protesters.
Bangladesh Police have issued a nationwide lookout notice and a travel ban for Faisal Karim Masud, the man identified as the primary shooter in the assassination of prominent activist Sharif Osman Hadi. Addressing an emergency press conference in Dhaka on Sunday (21 December), Additional Inspector General of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam said that while Masud has been identified, security agencies currently have “no specific information” on his exact whereabouts, though they believe he’s still in the country.
The investigation into the December 12 shooting, where Hadi was shot in the head while traveling in an auto-rickshaw in Dhaka, has intensified following his death in a Singapore hospital last Thursday. A Dhaka court has officially barred Masud from leaving Bangladesh, and intelligence agencies have ramped up surveillance at all border points. Despite the identification, the Inspector General warned that the suspect is “frequently changing locations” and that criminals are likely spreading rumors about where he is to mislead investigators.
The update follows a 24-hour ultimatum issued by Hadi’s political platform, Inqilab Mancha, which demanded “visible progress” in the case. The Detective Branch of the police noted that, at first glance, the murder appears to be “politically motivated,” though they haven’t yet found concrete evidence linking a specific political party to the hit.
“We do not have specific information about Faisal’s last location. Our forces and intelligence agencies are working to obtain it,” Additional IGP Khandaker Rafiqul Islam said, adding that there’s “no reliable information” suggesting the suspect has fled abroad.
“Prima facie, there does not appear to be any personal motive… We are examining all possible angles,” DB chief Shafiqul Islam stated during the briefing.
Hadi, a 32-year-old hero of the 2024 “July Uprising” and a candidate for the upcoming February 2026 elections, was laid to rest on Saturday near the Dhaka University mosque amid heavy security. His death has thrown the nation into a fresh cycle of unrest, marked by arson attacks on the offices of the country’s leading newspapers, Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, which protesters accused of being “pro-India.”
The situation has also seen a spike in anti-minority violence. Human rights groups have condemned the recent lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu garment worker, in Mymensingh, which happened amid the broader law-and-order breakdown.
With the Inqilab Mancha ultimatum expiring, the capital remains on high alert for more demonstrations. The UN and Amnesty International have urged the interim government to conduct a “prompt, impartial, and transparent” investigation to prevent the security situation from getting worse ahead of the national polls.
Also Read / Bangladesh erupts in violence after death of ‘July Uprising’ leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
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