Bangladesh authorities on Wednesday confirmed that ruling Awami League lawmaker for Jhenaidah-4 constituency Anwarul Azim Anar, who had been missing since May 14 after going to India for treatment, was killed at a flat in New Town near Kolkata in West Bengal.

Although the home minister, the foreign minister, the police, and the victim’s family confirmed the death and prime minister Sheikh Hasina issued a condolence message, confusion was raised over the body›s recovery amid contradictory statements from various sources.

Foreign minister Hasan Mahmud said that Anwarul’s body had not been recovered. Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said that both Bangladesh and Indian police were working together regarding body recovery.

Dhaka police did not give any answers about the body›s recovery.

According to a Dhaka-based private television channel, Kolkata police recovered some parts of Anwarul›s body from a flat allegedly owned by a Bangladeshi national in New Town.

The report claimed that the Kolkata police were searching for the flat owner, who faked his documents to own the property.

At a press briefing held at his Dhanmondi residence, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, ‘The information we have so far is that the people of our country are involved in the killing.’

Based on information, Indian police arrested three people while they were also trying to arrest others, he said.

Asked whether the murder of Anwarul would impact relations with India, the minister said, ‘We have friendly relations with India. They helped us in every way. There is nothing that can deteriorate the relationship with them. No one from India is involved.’

‘We are trying to catch some others. It’s murder. He [Anwarul Azim] was killed.’

Anwarul Azim was murdered in a planned manner in a house in Kolkata, he said, adding that Indian police were working to know the motive behind the murder and find perpetrators.

Responding to a question about the recovery of the body, Asaduzzaman refused to reveal any information for the sake of the investigation.

‘All information, including the motive of the murder, where the murder occurred, and who was involved in it, we will let you [journalists] know,’ he said.

He said that Indian police confirmed that Anwarul was killed in a flat.

The home minister said that Jhenaidah is a violence-prone area, and Anwarul was also elected a lawmaker in the recent election.

The murder took place after he went to India for treatment, he said, adding, ‘Our police are investigating the matter. We will be able to unearth the motive for the murder soon. We are taking measures that need to be adopted internationally.’

Anwarul went to India for medical treatment on May 11. He maintained contact with his family members until May 14. Since then, his phone has remained switched off.

After an event at Dhaka University on Wednesday, foreign minister Hasan told reporters that police did not find the body of Anwarul in the flat in New Town, where he was believed to have been killed.

He said that Kolkata police shared this information with the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata.

‘The killing of MP Anwarul is very sad and shocking. Kolkata police did not find the body in the flat where he was believed to have been killed. However, some people were arrested after the murder. DB arrested, and Kolkata police also arrested two. An investigation is underway as to how the murder took place,’ he said.

‘We are keeping track of them through our Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. The mission is in regular contact with the Kolkata police,’ he said.

Additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mohammad Harun Or Rashid told a press conference in Dhaka that some criminals from Bangladesh had brutally murdered Anwarul Azim.

‘The incident involving Kaliganj’s three-time lawmaker, Anwarul Azim, is being investigated very seriously. It is a brutal murder. We are investigating whether it is related to family, financial, or a crackdown on a miscreant in the area,’ he said.

‘We are closely working with the Indian police on the matter. We are talking to them all the time. Getting a lot of information... We do not want to say those things for the sake of investigation,’ he said.

Harun said that the lawmaker had left for India from the Jatiya Sangsad area. For this reason, a case will be filed at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station today (Wednesday).

He said that Anwarul’s daughter came to them for help, and they advised her to file a case.

‘We will assist his daughter in filing the case,’ he said.

‘We have brought some of them under the law as some Bangladeshi criminals killed a member of parliament. We are withholding the names of those detained for the sake of investigation. The rest will also be brought under the law,’ he said.

Harun evaded a question regarding the recovery of Anwrul’s body. 

Mumtarin Ferdous Doreen, daughter Anwarul, met Harun at the DB office on Wednesday.

‘Today I have become an orphan who does not have a father. The last time I spoke with my father was on a video call,’ she told reporters emerging from the meeting.

‘I want justice for my father’s murder. Those who killed my father should be hanged. I want to see that. We are not suspecting anyone. But I want to see those who killed my father,’ she added.

She sought the intervention of the prime minister to ensure justice for her father›s murder.

Until the filing of this report in the evening, the High Commission of India to Bangladesh did not respond to a New Age query about whether any investigation or joint investigation with Bangladesh was initiated into the alleged murder of the Bangladeshi MP.

Prime minister Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Anwarul, also president of Kaliganj upazila unit Awami League.

She prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy for the bereaved family members.

According to various media reports, Anwarul Azim was wanted by Interpol in 2008. After the Awami League came to power, his name was dropped from that list.

The cases against him in Jhenaidah and Chuadanga were withdrawn after 2009.

He reportedly crossed the border to India in 2007 when the then army-backed caretaker government launched a joint operation against ‹suspected criminals.’

Earlier, his house was also raided during Operation Clean Heart during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s tenure.

There were at least 20 cases against him until 2009 on various allegations, including smuggling. 

After the formation of the Awami League government in 2009, the cases started to decrease.

By 2014, he had been acquitted in most of the cases after becoming a member of parliament.

He was previously the chairman of Kaliganj upazila parishad.

In 2004, Anwarul Azim became the general secretary of Kaliganj upazila Awami League in Jhenaidah district, and he was made president of the upazila unit last year.