The Indian police have recovered the body of ruling Bangladesh Awami League lawmaker of Jenaidah-4 Anwarul Azim Anar from an apartment ‘Sanjiba Garden’ located in New Town area in Kolkata on Wednesday (May 22) morning. “Body of the lawmaker was recovered from a luxurious apartment in the New Town area on Wednesday, eight days after he went missing,” said the personal assistant (PS) of the lawmaker, Abdur Rauf, quoting the Kolkata police as saying. Two suspects have been arrested in this connection. But who was behind the killing and why the murder had taken place could not be known immediately by the Indian police.
The Indian law enforcing agencies, however, are carrying out investigation on the CCTV footage of the apartment, according to Indian media reports.
Anar, three-time MP and also president of Kaliganjupazila unit Awami League, went to India on May 12 on a personal visit to receive treatment. A general diary report about his disappearance was filed with Baranagar police station in North Kolkata on May 18.
According to the GD, the lawmaker went to Gopal Biswas' home in Kolkata at around 7 p.m. on May 12. At 1:41 p.m. the following day, he left Gopal's home to visit a doctor. He then said he would return in the evening.
In the evening, Azim, in a WhatsApp message, told Gopal that he was going to Delhi and would call him after reaching there. The lawmaker also mentioned in the message that Gopal did not need to call him, reads the GD.
On May 15, Azim, in another WhatsApp message, informed that he had reached Delhi, and he was with VIPs and there was no need to call him. He also forwarded the same message to his personal assistant, Rouf.
Mumtarin Ferdous Doreen, the daughter of the 56-year-old, called Gopal, saying that she could not contact her father. The MP has been traceless since then, the GD added.
On May 19, the family members of the lawmaker contacted the police at the detective branch (DB) at Mintoo Road here and informed them about his disappearance.
Then the Bangladesh and Indian intelligence agencies started an investigation to find the lawmaker.
Wife, daughter and relatives of the lawmaker are in Kolkata.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Anwarul Azim Anar MP, who went missing in India, was murdered at a Kolkata flat. Speaking to reporters at his residence on Wednesday, the minister said that the Bangladesh Police have arrested three people in this connection. "So far, we have come to know that all the people involved in the killing are Bangladeshis. It was a planned murder," he said.
Asked about the whereabouts of the body, he said that they were yet to know about it. "We will soon inform you about the motive," the minister said, adding that Indian police are cooperating with the case.
Anwarul Azim Anar was born on Jan 3, 1968. He was the president of the KaliganjUpazila Unit of the Awami League. He is an inhabitant of the Nischintopur area under Kaliganj Pourasava. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. He was also Kaliganj Upazila Parishad Chairman before electing as the lawmaker.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed profound shock and sorrow at the death of Anwarul Azim (Anar). In a condolence message, she prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.
