Osman Hadi murder: Accused, alleged to have fled to India, says he is in UAE

DHAKA: One of the main accused in the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a frontline leader of the student protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, is currently in the UAE. The accused, Faisal Karim Masud, who is named in the case, shared a post on social media from the UAE. Bangladesh police had earlier claimed that he had fled to India after the murder, but this has now been proved wrong.

In a video message, Faisal Karim said he is currently in Dubai and denied any involvement in the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. He claimed that he and his family were falsely implicated in the case and that he sought refuge in the UAE, fearing for his life. Faisal alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami was behind both the rise and the killing of Osman Hadi. He also said he had a business partnership with Sharif Osman Hadi and had often lent money to support his political activities.

🚨Statement by Faisal Karim Masud, accused in the Haadi murder case🚨I, Faisal Karim Masud, categorically state that I have no involvement whatsoever in the murder of Hadi. The case against me is entirely false and based on a fabricated conspiracy. Due to this false… pic.twitter.com/iva89sEVWO

— Colonel Mayank Chaubey (@col_chaubey) December 31, 2025

Earlier, Dhaka Police had stated that the accused Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh had crossed into India through Haluaghat in Meghalaya. Faisal has now rejected this claim. The BSF and the Meghalaya Police had also denied the allegation made by the Dhaka Police.

Sharif Osman Hadi, who was preparing to contest the Bangladesh parliamentary elections scheduled for next year, was killed at an election campaign venue in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The assailants, wearing masks, opened fire at the spot. Osman Hadi, who was shot in the head and critically injured, was immediately flown to Singapore for treatment, but he later succumbed to his injuries. The killing triggered widespread unrest in Bangladesh. The incident took place during a procession by a student organisation.