Home Minister: No evidence yet of Indian involvement in MP Anar murder

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said the law enforcement agencies of both countries have not found any evidence yet that suggests involvement of Indian nationalities in connection with the murder of MP Anwarul Azim Anar.

"There is no information yet suggesting involvement of anyone from India in this murder," he said.

The minister was speaking with the reporters at the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon.

The home minister said: "The murder of a member of parliament is a matter of grave concern for the government, and it is being taken very seriously. We are careful not to disclose details that could hinder the investigation. Ongoing inquiries are examining any potential links to India. However, no official statement can be made until the body is recovered."

Kamal said that the intelligence agencies of both countries are cooperating, and if necessary, Bangladeshi intelligence officials will visit India.

Meanwhile, the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) chief Additional Commissioner Harunor Rashid said that the plan to kill MP Anwarul Azim Anar was devised two to three months ago. Due to police surveillance in Dhaka, Kolkata was chosen as the location for the murder.

He said the police are working to recover the body of the slain MP. “The Kolkata and Bangladesh police are working jointly on this case. if not the entire body, hopefully, some parts will be recovered.”

According to sources, the MP crossed the Darshana-Gede border into India for treatment on May 12. Anar went to his Indian friend Gopal Biswas’s home in North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.

The following day, he went out at noon to see a doctor and was supposed to return in the evening.  However, he apparently went to Delhi instead and sent a WhatsApp message to Biswas, saying he would call if necessary.

Since then, he could not be reached by phone.

Eventually, the government confirmed his death on Wednesday, quoting Indian police.