Alleged mastermind Akhtaruzzaman Shahin had been planning the murder of MP Anwarul Azim Anar for two to three months, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Additional Commissioner and Detective Branch (DB) Chief Harun-Or-Rashid on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at a press briefing at the DB office in Dhaka, the DB chief revealed that Shahin and his associates had been holding meetings at two houses in Gulshan and Bashundhara in the capital to plan the murder.
"The killers initially planned to murder MP Anar in Dhaka. However, fearing they would be caught by Bangladeshi police surveillance, they opted for Kolkata where they believed they could evade detection if they commit crimes on foreign soil," he said.
Detailing the sequence of events, the DMP additional commissioner explained that Azim was lured to a rented house in Kolkata as per the original plan and following his murder there, his body was dismembered, with the flesh separated from the bones.
"Turmeric was then mixed with the remains and stuffed into a bag, which was subsequently removed from the house. However, the whereabouts of the body parts remain unclear," he added.
Harun-Or-Rashid further revealed that three individuals, including the main hitman Amanullah and the mastermind's girlfriend Shilisti Rahman, had been apprehended.
"Amanullah, also known as Shimul Bhuiyan, is affiliated with the radical group Purba Banglar Communist Party and has multiple murder cases linked to him. He had acquired a counterfeit passport under the alias Amanullah to conceal his true identity. We are thoroughly investigating Anar's murder,” he said.
Regarding the ongoing investigation, Harun-Or-Rashid stated that an Indian investigation team is scheduled to visit for collaborative efforts.
He also hinted at the possibility of visiting the crime scene, pending approval from higher authorities.
Meanwhile, West Bengal state's Criminal Investigation Department Police Inspector Akhilesh Chaturvedi revealed that security camera footage showed Azim entering a building in Kolkata accompanied by two men and a woman. While his companions were seen leaving, Azim did not.
When Indian detectives entered the building this week in search of Azim, they discovered apparent bloodstains in the bedroom.
"Investigations are ongoing, and a special investigations team has been formed to locate the politician’s body," Chaturvedi said.
Meanwhile, various media sources in Kolkata reported that the West Bengal Police had seized the car involved in Azim's disappearance, with the driver also detained.
Furthermore, a Dhaka court set July 4 for the submission of the probe report in the case filed over the murder of Awami League lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque passed the order.
The case was lodged by the victim's daughter Mumtarin Ferdoush Dorin on May 22.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said that Azim's body had yet to be recovered.
“We are very close to identifying those who committed the murder. We will make the announcement once the intelligence agencies of both countries agree,” he said while speaking at the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon.
The minister also mentioned that they have not received any new information so far.
In response to a query about potential Indian involvement, he said, “We haven't discounted the possibility of an Indian citizen's involvement. The investigation is ongoing, and we haven't identified specific individuals yet. We have a general idea and are proceeding based on that. We're currently working with the information available to us.”
Regarding Shahin, alleged to be a key planner of the murder, the home minister said, “Our understanding is that he was not in Bangladesh that day. He reportedly tried to leave for another country via India, but none of this information is confirmed. We are acting based on the information we have received.”
Meanwhile, Foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Thursday told reporters at Jatiya Press Club tha Bangladesh and India are working together on resolving the mystery of murder of MP Anwarul Azim Anar.
"Our mission is in regular contact with Kolkata Police on the whole matter. As it is under investigation, it is not appropriate to say more about it," he said.
