Two suspects accused of shooting Sharif Osman Hadi – an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency and spokesperson of Inquilab Moncho – are believed to have fled to India by crossing the border overland.

Despite identifying the suspects, blocking their passports, increasing border surveillance, and launching multiple operations, questions have arisen as to how they managed to leave the country undetected by law enforcement agencies. However, the law enforcement agencies have not officially confirmed their escape so far.

According to one investigation source, the prime suspects in the attack – Faisal Karim Masud and Md Alamgir Sheikh – fled to India's Meghalaya state through a remote border route in Haluaghat, Mymensingh. Faisal allegedly fired at Hadi at close range, while Alamgir was riding the motorcycle.

How the attackers fled

According to one investigation source, after shooting Hadi on Friday afternoon, the two suspects fled from Box Culvert Road in Bijoynagar with the motorcycle used in the attack. They travelled via Nayapaltan, Shahbagh, Banglamotor, Karwan Bazar, Farmgate and Agargaon to reach Mirpur. Leaving the motorcycle there, they switched to a private car and travelled via the embankment road through Ashulia and Gazipur to Mymensingh.

In Mymensingh, they abandoned that vehicle and boarded another private car. They later changed vehicles again at a petrol pump in Dharabazar, near the border area of Haluaghat. From there, three young men transported them on two motorcycles to Bhutiapara. After around 2:30am, they crossed the Bhutiapara border into India with the help of a human trafficking network.

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Another investigation source said that after the shooting, Faisal and Alamgir travelled by motorcycle via Mohammadpur and Uttara to Hemayetpur in Savar. They left the motorcycle there and went to Mymensingh by private car, where they stayed at a resort for about 30 minutes to change clothes. Around 11pm, they left for Haluaghat and crossed the border illegally with the assistance of pre-arranged contacts.

A reliable source said that Faisal and Alamgir had arranged all logistics for crossing the border in advance. Within just 12 hours of the shooting, they reached the Haluaghat border as planned. There, a human trafficker named Philip Snal from the Garo community allegedly helped them cross into India. Although law enforcement agencies conducted operations to arrest them, they failed to detain either the suspects or Philip Snal. Investigators believe Philip Snal may also have fled to India with them.

Four individuals detained

Although Faisal, Alamgir and Philip Snal remain at large, police and BGB have detained four individuals allegedly involved in facilitating the border crossing. Two of them – Sanjay Chisim and Sibirun Dio – were arrested by a team from the DMP's Ramna Division during an operation in Nalitabari, Sherpur, around 11pm on Saturday night, and were later brought to Dhaka. The team had earlier conducted operations in the Haluaghat and Dhobaura areas.

During interrogation, Sanjay Chisim told investigators that between 1:30am and 2:00am on Friday night, he assisted in smuggling two Bangladeshis into India. He said the two individuals are currently with Philip Snal and his associates.

Meanwhile, yesterday, BGB public relations officer Md Shariful Islam said in a text message that BGB had detained two more associates of Philip – Benjamin Chirang (45) and Shishal (28) – from the Nalitabari border area in Sherpur for assisting in human trafficking. He also said BGB remains on high alert along the border following the attack on Osman Hadi.

While investigators believe the attackers have fled to India, the DMP said it cannot yet confirm this. 

Sharif Osman Hadi / Bangladesh