NEW DELHI: Bangladesh home minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Saturday said that his government is actively working with India, Nepal and US on the ongoing probe of the
murder
of
parliamentarian
Anwarul Azim Anar.
Claiming that
businessman
Akhtaruzzaman Shahin is the key
suspect
in the murder, Bangladesh home minister said, “Of course, we are looking for Akhtaruzzaman Shahin.
He is a key suspect and wanted. We have sought help from Indian, Nepal and US law enforcement agencies to put him on trial.”
“We are working on a system to bring Shahin back…We are in touch with all the agencies concerned including the Interpol to ensure justice to our parliamentarian’s family. We have already arrested three persons including a woman. Two of them have criminal backgrounds and we are checking the antecedents of the woman,” he added.
Meanwhile, Akhtaruzzaman’s brother Md Shahiduzzaman, mayor of Kotchandpur municipality in Bangladesh’s Jhenaidah, also demanded stern action against his brother if found guilty.
Speaking to PTI, Shahiduzzaman said, “We grew up together and it is hard to believe that he is involved in such a heinous crime. If he is at all indulged in the crime, he should be punished.”
“I spoke to him two weeks ago over phone and he sounded happy…I believe he is in the US now,” he added.
However, Shahiduzzaman claimed that he had no knowledge of his brother’s business dealings or his relationship with the murdered MP.
“All I know is that my brother is very rich…But I have no clue about his business,” he said.
Additionally, the West Bengal Police said that it is planning extradite Shahin to India
“Bangladesh does not have any extradition treaty with the US government but India has. We are planning to extradite Shahin to India because the crime occurred in our state,” senior police officer in West Bengal said.
Shahin was a close friend and reportedly a business partner of Anar. He is believed to be in New York City, where he holds US citizenship.
Azim was last seen on the afternoon of May 13 when he went with friends to a home in Bidhannagar near Kolkata for a medical check-up. According to a family friend in Kolkata’s Bidhannagar, the MP mentioned he would be travelling to Delhi, but there was no direct contact with him since May 13. Only mobile messages were exchanged with his family in Dhaka and his friend in Bidhannagar, indicating his intended journey to Delhi.
Azim, a three-time parliamentarian from Jhenaidah-4, was the president of Awami League’s Kaliganj sub-district unit.
According to PTI, West Bengal CID sources said Anar was first strangulated after which his body was chopped into pieces by a Bangladeshi butcher (identified as Jihad Hawladar). Later, Jihad along with two others dumped the pieces of the flesh at different areas in South 24-Parganas district. His body parts are yet to be found.
So far, four persons – three from Bangladesh and one from Bongaon in West Bengal – have been arrested in this case.
