Bangladesh Student Leader's Murder: Party Rejects Chargesheet, Accuses State Involvement

The Inqilab Moncho, a Bangladeshi student party led by slain student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, has rejected the police chargesheet in his murder case. The party's member secretary, Abdullah al Jaber, claimed that the allegations against a local ward councillor, Taizul Islam Chowdhury Bappi, are 'unbelievable' and that the party will not accept any chargesheet that does not include the names of those involved in the killing. According to Jaber, the party believes that a 'criminal syndicate' and the 'state machinery' were involved in Hadi's murder. The police, however, have charged 17 people, including prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud, with Hadi's murder, claiming that he was killed due to 'political vengeance' at Bappi's behest. Hadi, 32, rose to national prominence during the July-August 2024 mass protests that led to the fall of the Hasina-led government. He was shot in the head on December 12 during an election campaign in Dhaka and died on December 18. The killing has triggered fresh political unrest in Bangladesh and strained ties with India, with some groups alleging an Indian link to the crime. India has rejected the accusations, calling them a 'false narrative'. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson said that India stands for strengthening its ties with the people of Bangladesh and favours peace and stability in the country. India has also sought a thorough probe into Hadi's killing. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police claimed that the suspects, Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, crossed into the Indian state of Meghalaya via the Haluaghat border with the help of local associates. However, security agencies in Meghalaya have dismissed the claims, saying there is no evidence to suggest that any individual crossed the international border from the Haluaghat sector into Meghalaya.