Ex-MP Anar murder: Bangladesh probe stalled over Indian investigation report

Two years after the brutal murder and dismemberment of former Awami League lawmaker from Jhenaidah-4, Anwarul Azim Anar, the investigation into the case remains incomplete, with officials unable to say when it will be concluded. 

Bangladesh’s probe has been delayed due to the absence of key findings from India, where the killing took place. In November 2024, the complainant – Anar’s daughter, Mumtarin Ferdous Dorin – provided DNA samples to identify body parts recovered in India. However, the Bangladeshi authorities have yet to receive the test results.

Investigators in Bangladesh say they still cannot confirm whether the recovered remains belong to the former MP. Much of the progress in the case depends on the DNA analysis and other reports.

Anar, a three-time MP, went missing on 11 May 2024 after travelling to India for medical treatment. His friend, gold trader Gopal Biswas, filed a general diary in Kolkata, prompting investigations in both countries. It was later revealed that Anar had been murdered in a house in Kolkata, leading to a case being filed there. 

Meanwhile, Dorin also filed a case in Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station, accusing individuals of abduction with intent to murder.

The case has since passed through local police and the Detective Branch before being taken over by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The latest deadline for submitting the investigation report was 31 March, but CID failed to file it. A Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s court, presided over by Arifur Rahman, has now set 6 May as the new date. So far, investigators have sought extensions around 18 times.

CID Inspector Khan Md Erfan said the case is still under investigation. “We have requested the DNA report through Interpol after Dorin submitted samples. It has been about three months, but we have not yet received any documents. We still cannot confirm whether the recovered remains belong to Anar,” he said.

He added that Bangladesh’s investigation is ongoing and has made some progress, though details cannot be disclosed at this stage. Efforts are being made to communicate with Indian investigators, and the probe is expected to accelerate once the DNA report and other documents are received.

Attempts to contact Dorin for comment were unsuccessful, as her phone was found switched off.

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor Omar Faruk Faruqi said the case involves two countries and that collecting information from both sides naturally takes time. “We are ready from the prosecution’s side. Once the report is submitted, it will be reviewed with importance,” he said.

Defence lawyer Md Asaduzzaman claimed the case is fabricated and politically motivated. He questioned inconsistencies in bail decisions and criticised the investigation process, alleging a lack of evidence. Another defence lawyer, Sohela Parveen, described the case as complex and called for granting bail to all accused, noting that bail is a legal right.

So far, seven people have been arrested in Bangladesh in connection with the case, including local political figures and associates. Among them, two have secured bail from the High Court, while six have given confessional statements in court.

According to a report by Hindustan Times on 20 December 2024, DNA tests in India confirmed that flesh and bone fragments recovered from a septic tank in Kolkata belonged to Anar, matching samples from his daughter. 

Kolkata CID investigators said Anar was murdered on 13 May 2024 in a flat at Sanjeeva Garden in New Town, where his body was dismembered. Some parts were allegedly flushed down a toilet, while others were disposed of in a canal.

Investigations revealed that Anar had travelled to India on 12 May and stayed at his friend Gopal Biswas’s residence in Baranagar. The following day, he left for a medical appointment but was instead taken to the New Town apartment, where he was killed. The incident came to light about 10 days later.

On 22 May 2024, then home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal confirmed at a press conference that Anar had been murdered in Kolkata. Based on information from Indian police, Bangladeshi authorities arrested several suspects. However, the alleged mastermind, Akhtaruzzaman Shahin, reportedly fled to the United States via Kathmandu.

Indian police arrested a butcher named Jihad Howlader in connection with the case, while Shahin’s associate Siam Hossain was detained in Kathmandu and handed over to Indian authorities. Based on his interrogation, investigators recovered additional human remains from a canal in Kolkata. In August 2024, Kolkata CID filed a charge sheet of around 1,200 pages in a West Bengal court, naming Jihad Howlader and Siam Hossain as accused.