In his statement, Faisal Karim Masud said his connection with Hadi was purely for business purposes and suggested that Jamaati elements could have orchestrated the murder
Bangladesh’s most wanted man and the prime accused in the Osman Hadi murder case—who sections of Bangladeshi media had alleged fled to India—has in fact surfaced in Dubai, dramatically shifting the narrative around one of the country’s most politically sensitive killings.
CNN-News18 has accessed documents and a video statement showing that Faisal Karim Masud, the prime accused in the Hadi murder case, is currently in the UAE. Masud has launched a blistering attack on Jamaat-e-Islami, claiming the Islamist outfit may be behind the murder.
In a sensational video message from Dubai, Masud categorically denied any role in the killing of Hadi, asserting that he and his family are victims of a “political witch-hunt.” “I did not kill Hadi. My family and I are being implicated. I have come to Dubai to save myself from the witch-hunt,” Masud said, contradicting reports that he had taken refuge in India.
A couple of days ago, additional Police Commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) SN Md Nazrul Islam told a press conference, “The suspects, Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Sheikh, crossed into Meghalaya with the help of local associates.” The Daily Star quoted him labelling allegations against India that Masud entered India through the Haluaghat border.
Turning the spotlight on Jamaat, Faisal claimed that Hadi himself was a “product of Jamaat” and suggested that Jamaati elements could have orchestrated the murder. “Jamaatis may have been behind it,” he alleged, in what is likely to deepen political fault lines in Bangladesh, where the killing has already triggered widespread outrage and violence.
Masud admitted to having professional and political dealings with Hadi, saying the relationship stemmed from his business interests. “Yes, I met Hadi for professional reasons as I own an IT firm. I made political donations to him. He promised to get me government contracts,” he said.
CNN-News18 has exclusively accessed Masud’s UAE visa documents, confirming his presence in Dubai. The documents show that the Hadi murder prime accused holds a five-year multiple-entry UAE visa and is currently on a long-term tourism visa. The visa was paid for in December 2022.
With Bangladesh’s ‘most wanted’ now confirmed to be in Dubai—and publicly naming Jamaat—the case appears to be entering a far more complex and politically charged phase. As investigators sift through competing claims, Masud’s allegations threaten to redraw the contours of the Hadi murder probe and intensify scrutiny of Islamist politics, political patronage, and accountability in Bangladesh.
