Guwahati: Bangladesh Police said on Sunday that they have no concrete information on the whereabouts of Faisal Karim Masud, the prime suspect in the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi.
The statement came a day after Hadi’s Inqilab Mancha party issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the interim government on Saturday, demanding visible progress in arresting those responsible for the murder.
At an emergency press conference at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Additional Inspector General of Police Khandaker Rafiqul Islam said law enforcement agencies are actively trying to locate Masud, identified as the gunman in the shooting, according to UNB.
“We do not have specific details about Faisal’s last location. Our forces and intelligence agencies are working to obtain it,” he said, adding that there is no reliable information suggesting the suspect has left the country.
The IGP warned that criminals often spread rumours about their whereabouts. He also stated that no solid evidence has yet linked any political party to the killing but said efforts are ongoing to gather accurate information.
Detective Branch chief Shafiqul Islam noted that the murder appears to be politically motivated, as there seems to be no personal motive, though all angles are being investigated.
Hadi, 32, was a prominent leader of last year’s student-led protests that contributed to the removal of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government. He was also a candidate for the general elections scheduled for February 12.
The Inqilab Mancha spokesperson was shot in the head by masked gunmen on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka’s Bijoynagar area and later died while undergoing treatment in Singapore on Thursday.
His death sparked attacks and vandalism across Bangladesh, including stone-throwing incidents at the Assistant Indian High Commissioner’s residence in Chattogram.
Hadi was buried on Saturday under tight security beside the grave of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam near Dhaka University mosque.