Bangladeshi national held in Bengal for aiding suspects in political leader’s murder

The Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police has arrested a Bangladeshi national for allegedly helping two suspects in the murder of Bangladeshi youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi escape to India after the crime. The arrest sheds new light on a cross-border network involved in illegal infiltration and safe passage for fugitives.

The accused, identified as Philip Sangma , was apprehended on Saturday morning from the Shantipur Bypass area in Nadia district following a tip-off. Police said Sangma had allegedly assisted the prime suspects in crossing the international border through Meghalaya. Last week, the STF had arrested two men Faisal Karim Masud (37), alias Rahul, from Patuakhali , and Alamgir Hossain (34) from Dhaka from Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district in connection with Hadi’s murder. During interrogation, both allegedly revealed Sangma’s role in facilitating their entry into India.

Investigators believe Sangma is part of an organised cross-border infiltration racket operating between Haluaghat in Bangladesh and Dalupara in Meghalaya, charging money to illegally move people across the porous frontier. Police said Sangma later entered India himself to evade arrest in Bangladesh and kept in touch with the accused while moving across multiple locations.

“He was attempting to return to Bangladesh when he was tracked down and arrested,” an officer said. Sangma was produced before a local court on Sunday and remanded to police custody for further interrogation.

Sharif Osman Hadi (32) , spokesperson for the political outfit Inqilab Moncho, was shot in the head in Dhaka on December 12 last year. He was airlifted to Singapore for treatment but succumbed to his injuries on December 18. The killing triggered significant political unrest in Bangladesh ahead of the general elections held on February 12.

The polls saw the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) , led by Tarique Rahman, secure a sweeping victory with 216 of 297 seats, forming the government. Authorities are continuing investigations into possible political motives behind Hadi’s assassination and the broader network that aided the suspects’ escape. Police officials said further arrests are likely as the probe expands into transnational links and illegal border operations.