The Border Security Force (BSF) on Sunday strongly rejected claims made by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) that two key suspects in the killing of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi had entered India through the Meghalaya border.
The response came after Bangladeshi media reports quoted DMP officials alleging that the suspects crossed into India via the Haluaghat border area of Bangladesh and were later taken to Tura town in Meghalaya.
According to Bangladeshi daily The Daily Star, DMP Additional Commissioner SN Nazrul Islam claimed the suspects were received by an individual after crossing the border and transported further by a taxi driver.
BSF Dismisses Allegations
The BSF, which guards the India-Bangladesh international border, categorically denied the allegations, stating that no illegal cross-border movement, interception, or arrest took place in the Meghalaya sector.
Describing the reports as “false, fabricated, and misleading,” BSF officials said there was no evidence to support the claims.
Inspector General OP Upadhyay, BSF’s chief in Meghalaya, said, “The claims are completely false and misleading. There is no factual basis or operational input to support these allegations.”
Responding to reports that Meghalaya Police had arrested the suspects, Upadhyay clarified that such claims had already been denied by Indian authorities. He noted that even Bangladeshi officials had earlier acknowledged the absence of evidence, making the recent statements contradictory.
Claims Termed Highly Implausible
The BSF further questioned the feasibility of the alleged border crossing, pointing out that Bangladesh has extensive CCTV coverage, checkpoints, and security surveillance.
“The claim that individuals travelled nearly 300 kilometres from Dhaka, crossed an international border undetected, and entered India is highly implausible,” Upadhyay said, adding that the allegations were “totally false and fabricated.”
He also emphasised the professionalism of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), suggesting that such a lapse would be unlikely.
Who Was Sharif Osman Hadi?
Sharif Osman Hadi was a prominent student leader associated with Inqilab Moncho, an anti-Sheikh Hasina political platform. He had emerged as a significant figure during the July uprising in Bangladesh, which eventually led to the former prime minister being removed from power.
At the time of the attack, Osman Hadi was campaigning as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency in the upcoming February elections.
The case has sparked protests and political debate in Bangladesh, while Indian authorities have firmly denied any link to the alleged cross-border movement of suspects.
