Kolkata/Dhaka. Hours after the Bangladesh government announced that Awami League MP Mohammad Anwarul Azim Anwar had been ‘brutally murdered’, the West Bengal Police said that the investigation into the murder of the neighbouring country’s MP has been handed over to the State Crime Investigation Department (CID). Anwar was missing from Kolkata since May 13. CID Inspector General (IG) Akhilesh Chaturvedi said that the police have concrete information that Anwar has been murdered. He said that the Bengal Police has not yet been able to recover the body of the Bangladeshi MP.
Chaturvedi said, “We were not aware of the Bangladeshi MP reaching the city (Kolkata). We came to know about his presence in Kolkata when the MP’s acquaintance Gopal Biswas lodged a missing complaint on May 18. Barrackpore Police Commissionerate formed a special investigation team to trace the politician.” Chaturvedi said, “We were investigating when we received information from the Ministry of External Affairs on May 20 and today (Wednesday) we got information due to which we suspect that the MP may have been murdered.” Unofficial sources said that the police are also investigating the possible aspect of disposal of the dead body.
Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told reporters in Dhaka this morning (Wednesday), “Anwar was murdered in a planned manner in a flat in Kolkata. Police forces of both India and Bangladesh are working together to find out the motive behind the murder and the culprits. We are following all international rules to get to the bottom of this matter.” When asked whether the police have found blood stains in a luxury flat in Newtown on the outskirts of Kolkata, Chaturvedi said, “Our forensic team is investigating the suspected crime scene. It is too early to say anything about it.” Anwar was last seen at the flat on May 13.
The officer said that the apartment belonged to Sanjeev Ghosh, an employee of the state excise department, who had rented it to Akhtaruzzaman, an American citizen. However, he refused to give more information about this, citing the investigation of the case. Chaturvedi said, “We are trying our best to solve this case.” Police sources said that when Anwar came to the flat, he was accompanied by two men and a woman. CCTV footage shows that the unidentified man and woman left the flat at different times between May 15 and 17, although no trace of the MP could be found.
Police said that at least two of the three people accompanying the deceased had later returned to Bangladesh. A team of officers from Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate reached this apartment in Newtown on Wednesday morning and remained engaged in the investigation till the last news was received. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Police has confirmed the arrest of three people from Wari area of Dhaka in connection with the case.