Osman Hadi Murder: Leaked Audio Raises Fresh Questions, Casts Shadow On Jamaat-e-Islami | Exclusive

The killing of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, shot by masked gunmen in Dhaka last month, triggered days of violent unrest across the capital, engulfing parts of the city in arson and mob attacks. Although his death intensified the political volatility in Bangladesh, there is still no clarity on who orchestrated the attack.

Now, a leaked conversation, said to have surfaced from inside Jamaat-e-Islami, has cast a shadow on the group, raising serious questions at a time when the investigation is already mired in competing narratives.

According to the sources, a one-crore-taka arrangement linked to Hadi’s killing was allegedly discussed, with 20 lakh meant for the shooter. The leak claims the deal collapsed after an argument, with Jamaat

allegedly prepared to pay only 70 lakh, exposing deep internal disputes over money and execution. It further suggests that Hadi was viewed as an obstacle to Jamaat’s political and organisational interests.

The conversation, if authentic, appears to indicate that the act was intended to stir wider unrest, escalate tensions and shift the political narrative. According to the leak, the conversation included references to sending a “warning signal” to rival groups. It also alleges that Jamaat was willing to kill someone from the July fighters to aggravate the wider atmosphere. The killer allegedly discussed in the leak was described as someone close to a Jamaat leader, with the planning meeting said to have taken place inside a Jamaat office in Dhaka.

What has intensified speculation is the claim that this information has leaked from Jamaat’s office itself, suggesting internal fissures. The material also mentions that prime accused Faisal Karim Masud, who has publicly denied involvement, was systematically sent abroad to keep him out of the country. The leaked conversation, however, has not been independently verified.

Masud has now surfaced in Dubai through a viral video message, contradicting earlier reports in sections of Bangladeshi media that claimed he had fled to India. Masud insisted he was not involved in Hadi’s killing and said he left Bangladesh legally, dismissing the initial allegations about his presence on Indian soil. The authenticity of his video has not been independently verified.

Meanwhile, New Delhi has strongly rejected allegations circulating in Bangladeshi media that the suspected attackers fled into India or had any connection to Indian territory. India maintains that such claims are a false narrative created by extremist elements in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Hadi.

India gains nothing from unrest in Bangladesh. Instability in its closest neighbour complicates border management, disrupts trade and connectivity and threatens regional security — all outcomes New Delhi has no interest in encouraging.

As Bangladesh navigates a volatile political moment, the leaked conversation has added another layer of uncertainty to a case already fraught with conflicting claims and destabilising consequences.