Bangladesh has initiated formal diplomatic channels with India to secure the transfer of two suspects apprehended in connection with the assassination of prominent political activist Sharif Osman Hadi. The development follows the arrest of Bangladeshi nationals Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain by Indian special police during a targeted raid in Bongaon, West Bengal, on Sunday.
Indian judicial authorities have sanctioned the detainment of both individuals for intensive interrogation, as reported by the Press Trust of India. Bangladesh’s Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Ali Hossain Fakir, confirmed Monday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is leveraging the existing extradition treaty between the two neighboring nations to facilitate the suspects’ transfer.
The victim, Sharif Osman Hadi, emerged as a significant figure during the 2024 political uprising that culminated in the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her 15-year administration. Serving as both student leader and spokesperson for the cultural revolution advocacy group Inquilab Mancha, Hadi sustained fatal gunshot wounds in Dhaka on December 12. Despite being airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical intervention, he succumbed to his injuries on December 18.
Hadi’s tragic demise ignited widespread civil unrest across Bangladesh, with enraged protesters mobilizing in the capital and assaulting the headquarters of the country’s two predominant daily newspapers. The activist had cultivated substantial support among youth demographics and Islamist circles while simultaneously drawing criticism from liberal segments for his radical viewpoints. His supporters have publicly implicated both India and the deposed Prime Minister Hasina—who sought refuge in India following the August 2024 revolution—in orchestrating his assassination.
Bangladeshi law enforcement had previously identified potential suspects believed to have fled across the border. Indian authorities corroborated this assessment, indicating the arrested individuals were sheltering in the border region with intentions to re-enter Bangladesh.