The Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police has arrested Philip Sangma, a Bangladeshi national accused of helping two suspects in the murder of Inquilab Mancha convener Shaheed Sharif Osman bin Hadi escape to India.
According to a diplomatic source in Kolkata, Philip Sangma was detained near Shantipur in Nadia district of West Bengal on Saturday (March 14). West Bengal authorities have officially informed the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata about the arrest.
Admission During Interrogation
In a statement, the West Bengal Police STF said Sangma was arrested following a tip-off. During preliminary interrogation, he admitted that he helped suspects Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain enter India through the Meghalaya border.
Police said Sangma later illegally entered India himself to avoid arrest in Bangladesh. After being produced before a court, he has been remanded in police custody for further questioning.
Earlier Arrest of Main Suspects
Last week, the West Bengal STF arrested two key suspects in the Hadi murder case — Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain — from the Bongaon area of North 24 Parganas district, near the Bangladesh border.
- Faisal Karim Masud (37) is from Patuakhali, Bangladesh.
- Alamgir Hossain (34) is from Dhaka.
A court in Bidhannagar subdivision of West Bengal later ordered 14 days of police remand for the two suspects.
Details of the Murder
On December 12, 2025, shortly after Friday prayers, gunmen attacked Osman Hadi while he was travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Purana Paltan, Dhaka.
The attackers shot him in the head and fled on motorcycles. Hadi was later airlifted to Singapore for treatment, where he died six days later.
Police identified former banned Chhatra League leader Faisal Karim Masud and his associate Alamgir Hossain as the attackers, though they initially managed to escape.
Escape Through Border Network
Investigators say the suspects fled to India through the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh on the day of the attack. Authorities believe the escape was pre-arranged with the help of traffickers and local brokers.
Police previously alleged that Tajul Islam Chowdhury (Bappi), a leader of the banned Jubo League, helped plan the escape with the assistance of border brokers.
Philip Sangma, a resident of Bhutiyapara village near the Haluaghat border, was reportedly one of those brokers who illegally facilitated cross-border movement for money.
Ongoing Investigation
Earlier, police arrested two associates of Sangma, whose statements helped identify his role in helping the suspects cross the border. After the incident made headlines on television, Sangma reportedly went into hiding.
With Sangma’s arrest, three people linked to the Hadi murder case have now been detained in India. Law enforcement authorities say efforts are underway to bring Faisal and Alamgir back to Bangladesh.
Case Status
So far, 12 people have been arrested in Bangladesh in connection with the case, all of whom are named in the charge sheet. Two suspects, including Tajul Islam, remain at large.
On January 7, Detective Branch (DB) police filed a charge sheet against 17 accused in the case. However, after a petition by the complainant Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inquilab Mancha, the court ordered further investigation.
The case is now being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
