The man who ‘masterminded the murder’

Akhtaruzzaman Shaheen was the mastermind of Jhenaidah-4 lawmaker Anwarul Azim Anar's murder, according to the Detective Branch of police.

After passing his SSC and HSC from Kotchandpur of Jhenaidah, Akhtaruzzaman got into the Chattogram Marine Academy and later landed a job in a shipping company, one of his friends told The Daily Star.

He went on to become a second mate, the friend said, adding that Akhtaruzzaman moved to the US after winning a DV lottery in the early 90s but used to travel a lot between Bangladesh, India, and the US.

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Why was MP Anwarul Azim murdered?

A local of Kotchandpur, who knew Akhtaruzzaman and Azim, claimed that the two had been friends since childhood and eventually got involved in gold smuggling to India and hundi, an illegal international money transferring channel. 

Akhtaruzzaman was also involved in yaba and crystal meth dealing at home and abroad, claimed people who claim to know him.

He rented flats in Gulshan, Baridhara, and Bashundhara areas in Dhaka, New Town in Kolkata, and in Brooklyn, New York, they said, adding that he used to ship drugs to the US from Dhaka.

Following a feud with Azim over gold smuggling and hundi, Akhtaruzzaman planned to murder Azim and hired a hitman for Tk 5 crore, said sources in intelligence agencies in Dhaka and Kolkata.

He rented a luxury flat in New Town of Kolkata last year, said sources in Kolkata.

Akhtaruzzaman, his girlfriend Celesty Rahman, and "hitman Amanullah" flew to Kolkata from Bangladesh on April 30, according to the DB. He chalked out how Azim would be murdered and returned to Bangladesh on May 10, the DB said.

On May 20, he went to the US via Delhi and Kathmandu, sources said.

Talking to a Bangladeshi TV channel, Akhtaruzzaman claimed that he was not involved in the murder and that he was in Dhaka when Azim was killed in Kolkata. He claimed that he learnt about Azim going missing reading newspapers in Dhaka.

He said Azim visited his Kolkata flat several times when he went to Kolkata for treatment.

"I gave him [Azim] the keys to my flat.

"… My lawyer advised me not to talk to anyone on this matter… I came to the US as I think I will not get justice in Bangladesh. I came to this country as there is legal protection here. If the police have any documents or evidence, they should place it here [US]," he said.

Asked about Azim being killed in his flat, he said, "Do you think I will have a murder committed in my own flat? Am I that stupid?"

Enquired about hiring a hitman, he said, "In Bangladesh, people say many things. Where will I get that kind of money?"