In a stunning display of incompetence and deliberate foot-dragging, Home Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has confessed that the government has absolutely no clue about the whereabouts of the prime suspect in the murder of radical Islamist mob leader turned Dhaka-8 candidate Osman Goni, alias Osman Hadi.
This admission exposes the regime’s utter failure to pursue justice for a frontline fighter in the July mass uprising, allowing the killer to roam freeโpossibly within the country or abroad via illegal meansโwhile the authorities twiddle their thumbs.
Chowdhury, speaking with the arrogance of someone insulated from accountability on Monday, claimed the regime is treating the case with “utmost priority” and is “committed” to ensuring justice without sparing anyone involved.
Yet, his words ring hollow amid glaring inaction: only 10 minor suspects have been arrested by joint forces (police, RAB, and BGB), with no progress on uncovering the motive or nabbing the masterminds. Instead of a focused hunt, the probe appears diverted toward peripheral figures, such as five associates of a so-called “dalal circle” linked to Philip, who were detained by BGB on vague intelligence and handed over to police.
This reeks of a smokescreen to distract from the regime’s inabilityโor unwillingnessโto confront powerful elements possibly tied to the previous Awami League networks. For “confidentiality reasons,” details are withheld, but sources suggest this is just an excuse to stall, as the regime prioritises self-preservation over truth.
Despite assurances of “significant progress,” the main perpetrator remains at large, with law enforcement agencies supposedly “trying their best”โa pathetic cop-out that has left the public seething.
Arafat slams Yunus regime for fueling anti-India hysteria in Hadi murder probe
Diplomats demand enhanced security amid surge in extremism under Yunus
Jihadist mobster Osman Hadi buried beside national poet amid protests
This blatant inaction has not only eroded trust in the interim regime but has directly incited widespread unrest, including a wave of arson attacks allegedly orchestrated by enraged supporters of Inqilab Moncho. In the wake of Hadi’s murder, mobs have torched offices of major newspapers like The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, vandalised cultural institutions such as Chhayanaut, and damaged historical sites like Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
These violent acts, which trapped journalists and staff inside burning buildings and led to at least three confirmed arson incidents in Dhaka, stem from the regime’s failure to deliver swift justice or maintain law and order. Police have arrested nine individuals linked to these attacks, but the regime’s lax security and intelligence lapses allowed the chaos to erupt unchecked, turning public grief into destructive fury. Critics argue that by diverting resources away from the core investigation and ignoring brewing tensions, the regime has effectively enabled this arson spree, prioritising political manoeuvring over protecting citizens and infrastructure.
Inqilab Moncho Escalates Threats
Piling on the pressure, Inqilab Moncho has issued a stark ultimatum to the faltering interim regime: deliver justice for Hadi’s murder or face a full-scale movement to topple the government. At an emergency press conference at Shaheed Hadi Chattar (formerly Shahbagh) around noon today, member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber lambasted the regime’s “criminal negligence” and diversion tactics, warning that the people’s patience is wearing thin.
Jaber highlighted how a 24-hour deadline given during Hadi’s namaz-e-janaza has expired without any meaningful action from Home Adviser Chowdhury or other officials. “The absence of the home adviser or his aides at briefings trivialises this heinous crime,” he thundered, accusing the home and law advisers of shirking responsibilities and engaging in blame-shifting.
Rahmani At Shahbagh: A disgraceful display of extremist mobilisation for Osman Hadi
Touhidi Janata continues mob attacks on cultural establishments, media outlets
NCP mob leader Jannat Ara Rumi was depressed due to her two divorces, say police
This comes as no surprise, given the regime’s track record of diverting probesโfocusing on low-level arrests while the prime suspect evades capture, possibly with tacit protection from entrenched interests.
Demanding immediate reforms, Shibir-backed Inqilab Moncho called for a Speedy Trial Tribunal to expedite the case and international assistance from agencies like the FBI or Scotland Yard to bypass the regime’s compromised intelligence apparatus. Jaber didn’t mince words on the failures of taxpayer-funded spy agencies: “If they can’t identify killers, disband them.”
He further urged exposing and arresting “Awami associates” infiltrating civil and military intelligence, pointing to a deeper rot that the regime seems intent on ignoring or covering up.
Amid this, the group’s supporters have been implicated in recent arson rampages, which Jaber distanced the platform from but which underscore the regime’s catastrophic failure to de-escalate tensions. “Justice must precede elections,” Jaber declared. “If the regime can’t deliver, the people’s blood will flow uncontrollably.” Announcing a protest procession at 3pm on Monday, he hinted at withdrawing support for the government and launching an ouster campaign if demands aren’t met.
The conference concluded with a pledge to stay on the streets until Hadi’s killers and backers are brought to justiceโa direct rebuke to a regime mired in inaction, diversion, and now, the fallout of unchecked arson and violence. As Bangladesh teeters on the brink, the interim government’s bungling risks plunging the nation into deeper turmoil.
English 
Bengali