The Bangladesh Police has arrested the associated of the accused involved in the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, said officials. The arrested person has been identified as Adabar Thana Jubo League activist Himon Rahman Shikdar.
According to local media reports, Shikdar was arrested at 2 pm (local time) on Wednesday from a hotel in the Adabar area following inputs from Intelligence and Analysis Division (IAD). Shikdar and his associates were "planning subversive activities" and the police are trying to nab others.
The police have also recovered a foreign-made pistol, live ammunition, gunpowder, crackers, and various other materials from Shikdar, local media reports claimed.
Osman Hadi's killing and unrest in Bangladesh
The 32-year-old activist was shot in the head while campaigning in Dhaka for the February 12 parliamentary elections earlier this month. He was shifted to Singapore, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 18. Hadi was the founder and main spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and had played a crucial role in the protests against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in ousting her government.
Hadi's killing sparked massive protests across Bangladesh that even saw the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a person from the minority Hindu, in the Mymensingh city. Hadi's supporters allege that the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus failed to protect him and have even claimed that his killers have fled to India, demanding their immediate arrest.
However, the Bangladesh Police has said that it has 'no specific inputs' about the killers.
India seeks thorough probe into Hadi's killing
Amidst all the unrest, India has sought a thorough probe into Hadi's killing, as his death has triggered anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India "completely rejects the false narrative" that is being created by extremists in Bangladesh following Hadi's murder.
"It is unfortunate that the interim government has neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India regarding the incidents," the statement read.
