Anti-India leader Osman Hadi's murder accused says he is in Dubai, denies role

Hours after a prominent Bangladeshi journalist publicly shared what he said was the location of a key suspect in the murder of student leader Osman Hadi, the accused has released a video message from abroad denying any involvement in the killing and casting blame on a political group.

Faisal Karim Masud, identified by Bangladesh police as a prime suspect in the shooting of Sharif Osman Hadi, said in a video circulating online that he is currently in Dubai and insists he had nothing to do with the killing. Instead, Masud accused JamaatShibir of responsibility and described his ties with Hadi as strictly businessrelated.

In the message, Masud said, “I did not kill Hadi. My family and I are being implicated. I have come to Dubai to protect myself from the witch hunt. Hadi is a product of Jamat. Jamatis may have been behind it.” He claimed he met Hadi for professional reasons as the owner of an IT firm and made political donations in exchange for promises of government contracts.

Bangladesh police have previously alleged that Masud and another suspect, Alamgir Sheikh, fled the country after the December 12 attack on Hadi and made their way to India via the Haluaghat border, before possibly reaching other destinations.

However, those claims have been contested by Indian security officials, with the Border Security Force and Meghalaya Police dismissing reports of such crossborder movement as unsubstantiated.

Hadi was shot in broad daylight in the Paltan area of Dhaka while on a campaign trail on December 12 and later died from his injuries in Singapore on December 18, triggering national unrest and protests across Bangladesh.

Police in Dhaka have been pursuing the case with urgency, arresting several suspects linked to the murder and the alleged escape plan. Two people accused of helping Masud flee have been placed on remand, and a charge sheet is expected to be filed in the coming days.

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