Bangladesh’s Most Wanted Hadi Murder Accused Surfaces in Dubai, Not India

Bangladesh’s most wanted suspect in the politically sensitive Osman Hadi murder case—previously reported by sections of the Bangladeshi media to have fled to India—has now surfaced in Dubai, significantly altering the trajectory of the investigation.

CNN-News18 has accessed official documents and a video statement confirming that Faisal Karim Masud, the prime accused in the Hadi murder, is currently in the United Arab Emirates. The revelation directly contradicts earlier claims by Bangladeshi authorities that Masud had crossed into India. From Dubai, Masud has issued a strong denial of involvement in the killing and levelled serious allegations against the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, suggesting that elements within the organisation may have orchestrated the murder.

In a video message recorded in Dubai, Masud described himself and his family as victims of what he termed a “political witch-hunt.” “I did not kill Hadi. My family and I are being falsely implicated. I came to Dubai to save myself from this witch-hunt,” he said, firmly rejecting allegations that he sought refuge in India.

Only days earlier, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) SN Md Nazrul Islam had stated at a press briefing that suspects Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh had crossed into Meghalaya with assistance from local collaborators. The Daily Star quoted the official as saying Masud had allegedly entered India via the Haluaghat border—claims now cast into doubt by the latest evidence.

Shifting the focus toward Jamaat-e-Islami, Masud claimed that Osman Hadi himself was a “product of Jamaat” and alleged that internal Jamaati elements may have been responsible for the killing. “Jamaatis may have been behind it,” he asserted, an accusation likely to deepen existing political fault lines in Bangladesh, where the murder has already triggered widespread protests and sporadic violence.

Masud acknowledged having professional and political links with Hadi, stating that their association arose from business dealings. “I met Hadi for professional reasons. I run an IT firm and made political donations to him. He had promised to help secure government contracts,” Masud said.

CNN-News18 has exclusively accessed Masud’s UAE visa documents, which confirm his presence in Dubai. The records show that he holds a five-year multiple-entry UAE visa and is currently in the country on a long-term tourist visa. The visa was reportedly obtained in December 2022.

With Bangladesh’s ‘most wanted’ suspect now confirmed to be in Dubai—and publicly naming Jamaat-e-Islami—the investigation appears to be entering a far more complex and politically charged phase. As authorities sift through competing claims and contradictory narratives, Masud’s allegations threaten to reshape the contours of the probe, intensifying scrutiny of Islamist politics, political patronage networks, and accountability in Bangladesh.

Osman Hadi, a Bangladesh-based political activist widely regarded as a local power broker, was brutally murdered in an incident that swiftly drew national attention. The killing exposed deep fractures within Islamist and opposition circles, fuelling allegations of internal rivalry, betrayal, and score-settling within Bangladesh’s volatile political landscape.