Ex-MP Anar murder: Bangladesh probe stalled over Indian investigation report

Two years after the brutal murder and
dismemberment of former Awami League lawmaker from Jhenaidah-4, Anwarul Azim
Anar, the investigation into the case remains incomplete, with officials unable
to say when it will be concluded.
Bangladesh's probe has been delayed due to the
absence of key findings from India, where the killing took place. In November
2024, the complainant – Anar's daughter, Mumtarin Ferdous Dorin – provided DNA
samples to identify body parts recovered in India. However, the Bangladeshi
authorities have yet to receive the test results.
Investigators in Bangladesh say they still
cannot confirm whether the recovered remains belong to the former MP. Much of
the progress in the case depends on the DNA analysis and other reports.
Anar, a three-time MP, went missing on 11 May
2024 after travelling to India for medical treatment. His friend, gold trader
Gopal Biswas, filed a general diary in Kolkata, prompting investigations in
both countries. It was later revealed that Anar had been murdered in a house in
Kolkata, leading to a case being filed there.
Meanwhile, Dorin also filed a case in Dhaka's
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing individuals of abduction with
intent to murder.
The case has since passed through local police
and the Detective Branch before being taken over by the Criminal Investigation
Department (CID). The latest deadline for submitting the investigation report
was 31 March, but CID failed to file it. A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate's
court, presided over by Arifur Rahman, has now set 6 May as the new date. So
far, investigators have sought extensions around 18 times.
CID Inspector Khan Md Erfan said the case is
still under investigation. "We have requested the DNA report through
Interpol after Dorin submitted samples. It has been about three months, but we
have not yet received any documents. We still cannot confirm whether the
recovered remains belong to Anar," he said.
He added that Bangladesh's investigation is
ongoing and has made some progress, though details cannot be disclosed at this
stage. Efforts are being made to communicate with Indian investigators, and the
probe is expected to accelerate once the DNA report and other documents are
received.
Attempts to contact Dorin for comment were
unsuccessful, as her phone was found switched off.
Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk
Faruqi said the case involves two countries and that collecting information
from both sides naturally takes time. "We are ready from the prosecution's
side. Once the report is submitted, it will be reviewed with importance,"
he said.
Defence lawyer Md Asaduzzaman claimed the case
is fabricated and politically motivated. He questioned inconsistencies in bail
decisions and criticised the investigation process, alleging a lack of evidence.
Another defence lawyer, Sohela Parveen, described the case as complex and
called for granting bail to all accused, noting that bail is a legal right.
So far, seven people have been arrested in
Bangladesh in connection with the case, including local political figures and
associates. Among them, two have secured bail from the High Court, while six
have given confessional statements in court.
According to a report by Hindustan Times on 20
December 2024, DNA tests in India confirmed that flesh and bone fragments
recovered from a septic tank in Kolkata belonged to Anar, matching samples from
his daughter.
Kolkata CID investigators said Anar was murdered
on 13 May 2024 in a flat at Sanjeeva Garden in New Town, where his body was
dismembered. Some parts were allegedly flushed down a toilet, while others were
disposed of in a canal.
Investigations revealed that Anar had travelled
to India on 12 May and stayed at his friend Gopal Biswas's residence in
Baranagar. The following day, he left for a medical appointment but was instead
taken to the New Town apartment, where he was killed. The incident came to
light about 10 days later.
On 22 May 2024, then home minister Asaduzzaman
Khan Kamal confirmed at a press conference that Anar had been murdered in
Kolkata. Based on information from Indian police, Bangladeshi authorities
arrested several suspects. However, the alleged mastermind, Akhtaruzzaman
Shahin, reportedly fled to the United States via Kathmandu.
Indian police arrested a butcher named Jihad
Howlader in connection with the case, while Shahin's associate Siam Hossain was
detained in Kathmandu and handed over to Indian authorities. Based on his
interrogation, investigators recovered additional human remains from a canal in
Kolkata. In August 2024, Kolkata CID filed a charge sheet of around 1,200 pages
in a West Bengal court, naming Jihad Howlader and Siam Hossain as accused.
















