The baffling murder of Anwarul Azim Anar, a Member of Parliament from Bangladesh, has revealed a chilling plot. Anar, 56, vanished on May 13 after arriving in Kolkata the day before. His dismembered body was discovered in a New Town apartment on May 22.
Investigation sources indicate that Akhtaruzzaman, a US citizen and close friend of Anar, masterminded the plot. Akhtaruzzaman allegedly lured Anar into a honey trap with the help of Shilasti Rahman, a young woman from Dhaka, who has been detained and is under interrogation.
On Thursday evening, the West Bengal CID detained a suspect, Jihad Hawladar, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi butcher living illegally in Mumbai. Authorities accuse Hawladar and several accomplices of meticulously planning and executing the murder.
CCTV footage showed Anar entering the apartment with a man and a woman. The footage later captured the two suspects leaving with a large suitcase, suggesting the gruesome disposal of Anar’s body. The CID found blood stains and plastic bags in the apartment, supporting claims of a meticulously planned crime.
During interrogation, Hawladar revealed that he and four others strangled Anar on Akhtaruzzaman’s orders. They then mutilated the body to destroy its identity, disposing of the remains at various locations around Kolkata.
Messages sent from Anar’s phone after his disappearance were likely attempts to mislead his family and friends, investigators said. The motive behind the murder involved a significant sum of money, allegedly paid by Akhtaruzzaman.
Anar, who represented the Jhenaidah-4 constituency and was a member of the ruling Awami League, had a controversial past with numerous criminal charges, later dismissed when he became an MP.
The case continues to develop as authorities search for remaining body parts and delve deeper into the motives and connections behind the heinous crime.
Anwarul Azim Anar, 56, hailing from Nischintapur village in Jhenaidah’s Kaliganj, served as a Member of Parliament in Bangladesh. He represented the Jhenaidah-4 constituency and was initially elected to Parliament on January 5, 2014, and then re-elected in 2018.
Jhenaidah, located near the India-Bangladesh border, has a reputation for high crime rates. Anar himself faced numerous criminal charges, including allegations of smuggling and possession of weapons. However, these charges were dismissed when he assumed his position as an MP.
Prior to the general election in January, Anar disclosed to the Election Commission that he had 21 cases filed against him. He clarified that he was discharged from seven cases and acquitted in the remaining 14.
Reports suggest that the charges against Anar were related to smuggling, possession of weapons, and extortion, among other crimes.
Anar’s controversial past adds complexity to the investigation, as authorities seek to unravel the circumstances leading to his tragic demise.
