In a breakthrough development, the West Bengal Police’s Special Task Force (STF) has arrested the two primary suspects wanted for the assassination of Bangladeshi youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. The suspects, identified as Faisal Karim Masud (alias Rahul or Daud) and his associate Alamgir Hossain, were apprehended during the night of March 7–8 in the Bongaon area of North 24 Parganas, India.
According to the STF, the duo had illegally entered Indian territory via the Meghalaya border shortly after the murder and had been moving through various locations before reaching Bongaon with the intent of crossing back into Bangladesh. Both were produced before an Indian court on Sunday and have been remanded to police custody.
The Assassination and Investigation
Sharif Osman Hadi, the 32-year-old spokesperson for the Inqilab Moncho and a candidate for the February 2026 elections, was targeted in a premeditated political hit on December 12, 2025. The attack occurred at approximately 2:20 p.m. on Box Culvert Road in Dhaka’s Purana Paltan area, just after Hadi had left a mosque following Friday prayers. He was traveling in a battery-operated auto-rickshaw when two assailants on a motorcycle pulled alongside him; the pillion rider, identified as Masud, fired a point-blank shot into Hadi’s head.
Hadi was initially treated in Dhaka before being airlifted to Singapore General Hospital on December 15. He succumbed to his injuries on December 18, 2025. On January 6, 2026, Bangladesh police filed a formal charge sheet naming 17 individuals, including former councillor Taijul Islam Chowdhury (Bappi) as the alleged mastermind.
Hadi’s death triggered a wave of nationwide unrest, characterized by anti-India sentiment and violent protests. This included arson attacks on the offices of major newspapers like The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, as well as cultural organizations. Authorities in Dhaka are now expected to begin formal diplomatic efforts to secure the extradition of Masud and Hossain to face trial in Bangladesh.