By Asif Shawkat Kallol (Dhaka Bureau)
Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal and chief of the All India Trinamool Congress, has made highly sensitive and explosive claims regarding the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, a young Bangladeshi political activist and spokesperson for ‘Inqilab Moncho’. She stated that she is fully aware of the masterminds behind this well-planned murder, but is withholding their names for the time being to maintain regional stability and to prevent Bangladesh from igniting anew.’
Delivered during a political sit-in demonstration at Kolkata’s Dharmatala area, these remarks have already sparked intense speculation and concern within the political and diplomatic corridors of both Dhaka and New Delhi. Human rights defenders and geopolitical analysts view this development as a highly volatile turn in the peaceful coexistence and mutual relations between the two neighbouring countries.
Conflict vs. Regional Stability
Sharif Osman Hadi, a young Bangladeshi activist, passed away on December 18 last year while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Singapore. Before that, on December 12, he was shot by unidentified assailants in Dhaka’s Paltan area. Hadi’s untimely and brutal death triggered widespread outrage and political unrest across Bangladesh.
In her address in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee hinted that the circumstances surrounding this assassination involve deep and sensitive cross-border dimensions that, if revealed, could disrupt peace between the two nations. Addressing her supporters from the stage, she said, ‘Who had the murder carried out? Whose names had surfaced? I know everything. I have remained silent until now in the interest of regional stability.’
‘National Interest’ and the Home Minister’s Phone Call
The report brings to light another sensational allegation. According to Banerjee, following the murder, when the Special Task Force (STF) of the West Bengal Police arrested two Bangladeshi suspects- Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain- from the border town of Bongaon in North 24 Parganas district, she received a direct telephone call from India’s Union Home Minister, Amit Shah.
Banerjee alleged that the Union Home Minister requested her not to publicly disclose or heavily publicize the arrests in the media, as the matter concerned India’s ‘national interest.’ However, no official response or statement regarding this claim has yet been released by Amit Shah or the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs.
A Call for Nonviolence and Accountability
Pressenza has consistently been vocal against all forms of violence and political assassinations. Seeking justice for the murder of a young activist like Sharif Osman Hadi and uncovering the truth behind it remains a fundamental demand of human rights. However, withholding such sensitive information or using it for political leverage without full disclosure creates an atmosphere of insecurity and ambiguity among the general public of the region.
Currently, investigative agencies in both Bangladesh and India are continuing their probes into the case. Nonetheless, no concrete evidence has yet been made public to substantiate Mamata Banerjee’s latest claims.
Human rights organizations and peace-loving people of this region hope that, rising above political mudslinging, both governments will uncover the actual truth behind Hadi’s murder through a transparent, impartial, and non-violent investigation, thereby contributing to the establishment of peace and justice in South Asia.
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The Writer:
Asif Showkat Kallol: Works for a German-based online outlet, The Mirror Asia, as Head of News and is a Contributor, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.
