Two Key Suspects in Osman Hadi Murder Escaped to India via Meghalaya Border: Dhaka Police

Bangladesh police have said that two prime suspects in the killing of student leader and election candidate Sharif Osman Hadi fled the country shortly after the shooting, crossing into India through the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh and entering Meghalaya.

The development comes as authorities continue to probe the murder that triggered widespread unrest across Bangladesh.

According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), the suspects managed to leave Bangladesh with local assistance and are believed to be hiding in India. The case has remained politically sensitive due to Hadi's role in opposition mobilisation and the scale of protests that followed his death.

Suspects crossed into India via Haluaghat border

Speaking at a press conference at the DMP media centre, additional commissioner SN Nazrul Islam said the two suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, escaped through the Haluaghat border area before travelling onward to Meghalaya.

"According to our information, the suspects entered India via the Haluaghat border. After crossing, they were initially received by an individual named Purti. Later, a taxi driver named Sami transported them to Tura city in Meghalaya," the official said, as quoted by The Daily Star.

Police said the escape was facilitated by local contacts on both sides of the border, allowing the suspects to move quickly out of Bangladesh after the attack.

Indian links under probe, two helpers detained

Nazrul Islam said Bangladeshi authorities are coordinating with Indian agencies to trace the suspects and take further legal action. He confirmed that two individuals accused of helping the suspects enter Meghalaya have already been detained in India.

"We are maintaining communication with Indian authorities through both formal and informal channels to ensure their arrest and extradition," Nazrul said.

Investigators are now focusing on identifying the full network that assisted the suspects, including those who arranged transport and shelter after the border crossing.

Shooting triggered unrest across Bangladesh

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot in the head on December 12 while campaigning in the Bijoynagar area of central Dhaka. He was later flown to Singapore for advanced medical treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18.

His death sparked large-scale protests and violence across several parts of Bangladesh, with demonstrators demanding swift arrests and accountability. Security was tightened in multiple cities as tensions escalated following the killing.

Who was Osman Hadi?

Osman Hadi was a prominent member of the anti-Sheikh Hasina platform Inqilab Manch and was contesting the upcoming February elections as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-8 constituency.

Inqilab Manch had gained national attention during the July uprising last year, which ultimately led to the removal of Sheikh Hasina from power. Following Hadi's killing, the group warned the interim government of intensified agitation if justice was delayed, adding to the political pressure surrounding the case.