West Bengal: Two suspects wanted in connection with the murder of Bangladeshi youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi have been arrested from Bongaon in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district, the state police’s Special Task Force (STF) said on Sunday.
The arrest comes days after Sharif Osman Hadi – the leader of Bangladesh’s 2024 uprising – was shot. He was taken to Singapore for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The two suspects have been identified as Faisal Karim Masud – 37 years old, also known as Rahul, a resident of Patuakhali, Bangladesh. Another person arrested is Alamgir Hossain – 34 years old – a resident of Dhaka.
Masud and Hossain were arrested on the night of March 7-8, the Bengal STF said in a statement, PTI reported.
Who was Sharif Osman Hadi?
Sharif Osman Hadi was born in 1994 in Nalchitya Upazila, Jhalokhati District to a Muslim family. He was recognized for his radical beliefs. Hadi became a prominent figure in the student uprising in Bangladesh last year that led to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
How was Hadi killed?
Hadi was all set to contest the Bangladesh elections held in February this year. Last December, his campaign was in full swing when unidentified gunmen shot him in the head.
He was injured in the ear and was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Evercare Hospital. From Evercare Hospital, the Yunus-led administration airlifted Inquilab leader Moncho to Singapore for treatment on Saturday after Bangladeshi doctors said his condition was extremely critical.
On 18 December 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Singapore said that Hadi had succumbed to his injuries from an assassination attempt.
A wave of protests engulfed Bangladesh after the killing of Hadi.
Earlier, key suspects Masud’s parents were sent to jail, Bangladeshi media, The Daily Star reported in December 2025.
How did the suspects reach India?
The STF said that both the accused entered Indian territory through the Meghalaya border and moved around various places in India and finally came to Bongaon with the intention of going back to Bangladesh.
The two, accused of committing Hadi’s murder, were apprehended by the STF after conducting a raid.
“They were trying to find shelter in the border area of Bongaon with the intention of crossing back to Bangladesh when the opportunity arose,” the statement said.
The court sent Masud and Hossain to police custody on Sunday.
