Osman Hadi murder: Prime accused denies role, claims he was in Dubai
Dubai: The murder case of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi has taken a new turn after the prime accused, Faisal Karim Masud, publicly denied any involvement in the killing, asserting that he was in Dubai at the time, contradicting earlier claims by Bangladesh police that he had fled to India.
In a video message that has gone viral on social media, the authenticity of which has not been independently verified, Masud rejected the allegations against him and described the case as a fabricated conspiracy. He claimed that a radical political group was responsible for the attack on Hadi and said he had been falsely implicated.
“I am Faisal Karim Masud. I want to state clearly that I am not involved in the murder of Hadi in any way. This case is completely false and based on a fabricated conspiracy,” Masud said in the video. He added that he was forced to leave Bangladesh and travel to Dubai due to the allegations, despite holding a valid five-year multiple-entry visa for the UAE.
Masud acknowledged that he had visited Hadi’s office shortly before the shooting but maintained that their relationship was purely professional. Describing himself as a businessman who owns an IT firm and a former employee of the Ministry of Finance, Masud said he had approached Hadi regarding a job opportunity. According to him, Hadi sought an advance payment of 500,000 taka for arranging the job and also requested donations for various programmes, which he said he provided.
The accused further alleged that his family members were being harassed and falsely implicated in the case. “They have no involvement whatsoever. This kind of inhumane treatment of my family is unjust and unacceptable, and I strongly protest against it,” he said.
Masud also accused Jamaat-linked elements of orchestrating Hadi’s killing, claiming the student leader was targeted by “Jamaati elements” and that he and his younger brother were deliberately framed. A photograph purportedly showing Masud’s UAE visa has also circulated widely online.
Earlier, Bangladesh police had stated that Masud and another accused, Alamgir Sheikh, fled the country after the killing and entered India through the Meghalaya border. Media reports in Bangladesh claimed the two crossed over via the Haluaghat border in Mymensingh district and were currently in India. India, however, has firmly denied any connection between the accused and its territory, calling the allegations a false narrative being pushed by extremist elements.
Sharif Osman Hadi, a key figure in Bangladesh’s student uprising last year, was shot in the head by masked gunmen in Dhaka on December 12 and succumbed to his injuries six days later at a hospital in Singapore. He had emerged as a prominent leader during the student-led protests that culminated in the end of Sheikh Hasina’s rule.
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Karnataka leads in AI: Minister Priyank Kharge at Impact Summit
Bengaluru (PTI): Minister Priyank Kharge on Wednesday highlighted the state’s leadership in AI and deep technology while engaging with global industry leaders and startups at a four-day summit held in New Delhi, officials said.
During the event, Priyank witnessed the signing of a strategic MoU between H Company and St John’s Medical College & Research Institute, Bengaluru, to pilot advanced enterprise AI for hospital operations and workflow automation, strengthening responsible AI in healthcare, the minister’s office said in a statement here.
Speaking on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit, the minister said Karnataka is ahead of the curve in AI.
“We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bengaluru,” he added.
Noting Bengaluru’s position among the top global cities for AI talent, he added, “Under our DeepTech Decade, we are supporting startups with grants of up to Rs 1 crore. We are engaging with global leaders and innovators to ensure responsible AI use, build the right skill sets, create strong incubators, and establish Centres of Excellence that can foster startups and strengthen e-governance.”
The minister also attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), where discussions focused on strengthening technology collaboration, investment partnerships, and innovation-led growth between Karnataka and global enterprises.
He met Timo Harakka, Member of Parliament of Finland, to explore possibilities for collaboration between Karnataka and Finland in AI and deep-tech sectors, including joint research, innovation partnerships, and startup exchanges.
The Karnataka IT Minister also visited the Indian Army showcase at the summit, which featured advanced AI-driven defence and strategic technology applications, highlighting the role of AI in national security and modernisation efforts.
He toured the Karnataka Pavilion and the ArtPark Pavilion, interacting with founders and teams from Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem and reviewing emerging AI and deep-tech solutions, the statement added.
