In the murder case of Bangladeshi student leader Osman Hadi, the prime suspect, Faisal Karim Masud, has publicly rejected the allegations against him.
In a video message that has gone viral, he denied any involvement in Hadi’s death and alleged that a radical political group was responsible for the attack.
Masud claimed he was in Dubai at the time of the killing, countering Bangladesh police assertions that he was present in India.
Watch the video here:
Mint could not independently verify the video.
In the video, Masud said, “I want to state unequivocally that I have no involvement whatsoever in Hadi’s murder. The case against me is entirely false and built on a fabricated conspiracy.”
He added that the false accusations compelled him to leave the country and travel to Dubai, despite the difficulties involved, even though he possessed a valid five-year multiple-entry Dubai visa.
Hadi was shot in the head by masked attackers in Dhaka earlier in December while launching his election campaign as an independent candidate. Police say they have identified the killers but have not arrested them, Reuters reported.
Masud further acknowledged visiting Hadi’s office before the shooting but maintained that his association with the Inqilab Moncho spokesperson was purely professional.
Earlier on Sunday, Inqilab Moncho member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber announced a four-point demand, including a 24-day ultimatum for the government to complete trial proceedings against those responsible for Hadi’s killing.
The platform also indulged in anti-India rhetoric and demanded the suspension of work permits of Indian nationals in Bangladesh, according to The Daily Star.
Sharif Osman Hadi, one of the prominent figures behind the July Uprising last year, was pronounced dead on December 18, after he was shot at close range on December 12 while traveling in a rickshaw in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area.
Following his death, large protests erupted across the capital as supporters demanded justice. Multiple waves of protests were reported on Friday, coinciding with the arrival of Hadi’s body in Dhaka. While many gatherings remained peaceful, several turned violent, with attacks reported on media houses and cultural institutions.
The violence drew condemnation from within Bangladesh and abroad.
On the Bangladesh envoy to India reaching Dhaka on urgent summons, he said, “These are normal diplomatic demarches to call the high commissioners and protest whatever is happening. They convey the concerns back to their headquarters…. They would be conveying a certain message to India, but they’ll have to deal with their own situation first, which is the main problem. Instead of looking inwards, they’re only trying to accuse India of everything. India has become, unfortunately, a punching bag for all our neighbours, but mostly for Bangladesh and Pakistan.”
The interim government of Bangladesh has recalled its High Commissioner to India, M Riaz Hamidullah, to Dhaka for consultations amid tensions in bilateral relations between the two countries, Prothom Alo reported, citing diplomatic sources, ANI reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
