Hadi murder charge sheet ready in 10 days: Home Adviser

Staff Reporter:

Investigators are expected to submit the charge sheet in the murder case of Sharif Osman Hadi within the next 10 days, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the law and order core committee at the Secretariat, the adviser said the meeting reviewed the overall law and order situation, security preparations for the 13th National Election, progress in the Hadi murder investigation, Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, and the protection of politically important individuals.

“The interim government is firmly committed to ensuring justice for the killing of Hadi,” he said, adding that police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) and intelligence agencies are working in close coordination to uncover the full truth behind the murder.

He said authorities have made substantial progress in the investigation, but details cannot be disclosed at this stage to safeguard the probe and identify both the perpetrators and their backers.

According to the adviser, 11 people have been arrested so far, including the wife and parents of the alleged mastermind, Faisal Karim Masud. Of the arrestees, six have given confessional statements under Section 164, while four witnesses have also recorded statements under the same legal provision.

Investigators have recovered two foreign-made pistols used in the killing, along with 52 rounds of ammunition, magazines and a knife. They also seized the motorcycle used in the crime with a fake number plate, shell casings, bullets, video and CCTV footage, and other evidence from the crime scene. In addition, signed cheques worth Tk218 crore from around 53 accounts were recovered, he said.

Based on information from the accused, witness statements and analysis of the seized evidence, the investigation has reached its final stage, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury added.

Urging patience, he said a decision has already been taken to transfer the case to a speedy trial tribunal to ensure a swift conclusion. “I assure you that the trial in the Hadi murder case will be completed within the tenure of the current interim government,” he said.

The home adviser also warned against any actions that could obstruct the trial or embolden fascist collaborators, criminals or terrorists. He urged political parties to remain alert to infiltrators, noting that some leaders and activists may be unknowingly giving space to such elements.

On a separate issue, he said Rab has arrested seven people over the killing of garment worker Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while the district police’s detective branch has detained 11 others in connection with the incident.