Bangladesh taps diplomatic channels to extradite Hadi murder accused

Kolkata: Bangladesh Police is tapping diplomatic channels to extradite the two suspects — Faisal Karim Masud (37) and Alamgir Hossain (34) — arrested for the alleged murder of youth activist and Inquilab Moncho ex-spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir on Monday said diplomatic efforts were underway to bring the two suspects back, according to Bangladeshi media outlet Daily Star.The Bangladesh deputy high commissioner's office in Kolkata had released a note on Sunday stating that it had established contact with Indian authorities in Kolkata and requested consular access.Speaking at the police headquarters media centre in Dhaka, Fakir said the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs was working on the repatriation. The accused are presently in 14 days custody of Bengal Police.A murder case had been filed with the Paltan police station after Hadi was shot in Dec last year. On early Sunday morning, the Bengal STF arrested the two accused from Bongaon.According to STF and intelligence sources, the accused, after allegedly shooting Hadi, fled Dhaka on a motorcycle. They then changed vehicles five times and reached the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh. In the cover of darkness, they allegedly evaded BSF and made their way into Meghalaya.State intelligence reports suggest the accused travelled to multiple locations in the northeast under various aliases then switched buses and trains in north India before eventually arriving in Bongaon.They were presented at a Bongaon court on Sunday which ordered that they be held in police custody under the Foreigner's Act.STF had earlier said that it had received "secret credible information" about two Bangladeshi nationals having fled their country after committing serious crimes. "There was information that they had illegally entered India and were trying to take shelter in Bongaon with the intention of crossing back in Bangladesh," STF had said, following the raid.It is now questioning the two accused to establish identities of those who helped them cross into Indian soil. STF sources said the task force was eager to find out whether the accused were helped by individuals or an organised group.