Sunday, 14 December, 2025
Police have named Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Daud Khan—a notorious activist of the Awami League’s Chhatra League and feared figure in Adabor, Mirpur—as a prime suspect in the brazen attack on Inquilab Mancho spokesperson and Dhaka-8 prospective independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi.
Hadi remains in critical condition after two assailants on a motorcycle shot him at point-blank range in the capital’s Paltan area on Friday afternoon. The bullet tore beneath his ear, passed through his neck, and lodged in his skull. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being transferred to Evercare Hospital, where he is now receiving intensive care.
The violence escalated that night with a burglary at Hadi’s family home in Nalchiti, Jhalokathi. Taking advantage of the house being empty, intruders smashed a window and stole valuables, leaving his family traumatised. Police confirmed the raid, emphasising that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. The timing of the attack suggests a chillingly calculated plot aimed at terrorising Hadi’s relatives while he lay fighting for his life.
Hadi, who rose to prominence during the July 2024 uprising against the Awami League regime, has become the target of intense speculation. On Saturday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police released a photograph of a suspected assailant and urged the public to provide any information that could help identify or locate him.
Investigative outlet The Dissent reported that OSINT analysis of CCTV footage, campaign images, and recordings from the Inquilab Cultural Centre on 9 December all point to Faisal Karim Masud. Facial recognition verification showed a match, and a distinctive wristwatch seen on the shooter mirrors one Masud has often worn in photographs.
Masud’s past further underscores the threat he poses. Arrested in November 2024 by RAB over a Tk1.7 million armed robbery in Adabor, he was subsequently released on bail. Al Jazeera journalist Zulkarnain Saer confirmed that Masud, a former Chhatra League vice-president of Dhaka North and ex-president of Adabor Chhatra League, sat beside Hadi at a meeting on 9 December. He is reportedly close to Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, now a fugitive in India.
UNB traced a Facebook account under Masud’s name showing photos with senior political figures, including ex-president Abdul Hamid and ministers Dipu Moni and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, confirming his political connections. His name also appears on the Chhatra League central committee announced in May 2019 and in the 2018 election coordination committee for Dhaka-12.
Law enforcement continues to verify Masud’s identity. CCTV analysis remains ongoing, and DMP has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced a reward of Tk5 million for information leading to Masud’s arrest.
Earlier on Friday, around 2:15 pm, Hadi was shot while travelling in a rickshaw in front of the water tank in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The attackers fled the scene immediately after firing. Hadi’s family rushed to Dhaka upon learning of the attack.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi described the assault as a “well-planned conspiracy” and demanded a fair investigation to identify the real perpetrators. Speaking at a BNP rally in Nayapaltan, he questioned why Hadi—who had never attacked any established politician—was suddenly targeted. Rizvi highlighted attempts to defame BNP leaders on social media and warned against politically motivated disorder.
“The attack on Hadi, and the separate attempt on BNP candidate Ershad Ullah in Chattogram, are not isolated incidents,” Rizvi said. “This is a calculated effort to create fear and frame others. Democracy cannot thrive under terror and impunity.”
Sharif Osman Hadi remains in critical condition, while his family grapples with shock and fear. The assault on his home and his life sends a stark message: those who challenge injustice in Bangladesh may no longer be safe.
Comments
Police have named Faisal Karim Masud, also known as Daud Khan—a notorious activist of the Awami League’s Chhatra League and feared figure in Adabor, Mirpur—as a prime suspect in the brazen attack on Inquilab Mancho spokesperson and Dhaka-8 prospective independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi.
Hadi remains in critical condition after two assailants on a motorcycle shot him at point-blank range in the capital’s Paltan area on Friday afternoon. The bullet tore beneath his ear, passed through his neck, and lodged in his skull. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital before being transferred to Evercare Hospital, where he is now receiving intensive care.
The violence escalated that night with a burglary at Hadi’s family home in Nalchiti, Jhalokathi. Taking advantage of the house being empty, intruders smashed a window and stole valuables, leaving his family traumatised. Police confirmed the raid, emphasising that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. The timing of the attack suggests a chillingly calculated plot aimed at terrorising Hadi’s relatives while he lay fighting for his life.
Hadi, who rose to prominence during the July 2024 uprising against the Awami League regime, has become the target of intense speculation. On Saturday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police released a photograph of a suspected assailant and urged the public to provide any information that could help identify or locate him.
Investigative outlet The Dissent reported that OSINT analysis of CCTV footage, campaign images, and recordings from the Inquilab Cultural Centre on 9 December all point to Faisal Karim Masud. Facial recognition verification showed a match, and a distinctive wristwatch seen on the shooter mirrors one Masud has often worn in photographs.
Masud’s past further underscores the threat he poses. Arrested in November 2024 by RAB over a Tk1.7 million armed robbery in Adabor, he was subsequently released on bail. Al Jazeera journalist Zulkarnain Saer confirmed that Masud, a former Chhatra League vice-president of Dhaka North and ex-president of Adabor Chhatra League, sat beside Hadi at a meeting on 9 December. He is reportedly close to Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, now a fugitive in India.
UNB traced a Facebook account under Masud’s name showing photos with senior political figures, including ex-president Abdul Hamid and ministers Dipu Moni and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, confirming his political connections. His name also appears on the Chhatra League central committee announced in May 2019 and in the 2018 election coordination committee for Dhaka-12.
Law enforcement continues to verify Masud’s identity. CCTV analysis remains ongoing, and DMP has urged anyone with relevant information to come forward. Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury announced a reward of Tk5 million for information leading to Masud’s arrest.
Earlier on Friday, around 2:15 pm, Hadi was shot while travelling in a rickshaw in front of the water tank in Bijoynagar, Dhaka. The attackers fled the scene immediately after firing. Hadi’s family rushed to Dhaka upon learning of the attack.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi described the assault as a “well-planned conspiracy” and demanded a fair investigation to identify the real perpetrators. Speaking at a BNP rally in Nayapaltan, he questioned why Hadi—who had never attacked any established politician—was suddenly targeted. Rizvi highlighted attempts to defame BNP leaders on social media and warned against politically motivated disorder.
“The attack on Hadi, and the separate attempt on BNP candidate Ershad Ullah in Chattogram, are not isolated incidents,” Rizvi said. “This is a calculated effort to create fear and frame others. Democracy cannot thrive under terror and impunity.”
Sharif Osman Hadi remains in critical condition, while his family grapples with shock and fear. The assault on his home and his life sends a stark message: those who challenge injustice in Bangladesh may no longer be safe.
Comments
