 "Anwarul Azim Anar")
He was not just another medical tourist from Bangladesh visiting Kolkata. Anwarul Azim Anar, 56, was a member of the ruling Awami League party and member of the Bangladesh Parliament. He travelled to Kolkata for medical treatment on May 12. But the following day, he went missing. News reports now suggest that he may have been a victim of foul play, with indications pointing towards murder, although his body has not yet been found.
Police investigators reported that blood stains were found inside a refrigerator during forensic analysis in the apartment at New Town in Kolkata’s Bidhannagar city, where Anwarul Azim Anar was last seen.
On Wednesday Bangladesh’s Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, said during a press conference in Dhaka that three individuals have been arrested in connection with the case. Khan asserted that Anar was ‘murdered’ in a planned manner in a house in Kolkata. He further noted that the perpetrators are believed to be citizens of Bangladesh.
The investigation currently involves a collaborative effort between law enforcement agencies from India and Bangladesh. Their primary focus remains on uncovering the motives behind the possible murder. As the inquiry progresses, questions linger about the identity of those responsible for Anar’s disappearance and the current status of the investigation.
The life of Anwarul Azim Anar
Anar was a Member of Parliament in Bangladesh from the ruling Awami League. He represented the Jhenaidah-4 constituency and was first elected to Parliament on January 5, 2014. He was re-elected to Parliament in 2018.
Situated on the India-Bangladesh border, Jhenaidah constituency is known for its high crime rate.
More From This Section
In 2008, Interpol issued a notice against Anar in connection with several criminal cases including arms and explosives. He was cleared of charges after he became an MP in 2014, according to The Telegraph. He then fled to India and stayed in Bengal’s Naida, where he has several acquaintances.
Anar’s last whereabouts
According to the Kolkata Police, Anar was last seen entering the Nadia district through the Gede border on May 12. Subsequently, he reportedly visited the residence of a friend, Gopal Biswas, a gold trader, in Mondolpara, Baranagar.
Following this, on the next day, he departed to consult a doctor, and there has been no further trace of him since, Al Jazeera reported.
A report in The Times of India cited a family friend as saying that Anar had mentioned his plan to travel to Delhi. Messages between him and his family in Dhaka, as well as with his friend, also implied his planned journey to the capital.
Another report in Dhaka Tribune mentions Anar messaging Biswas about his departure to Delhi, with subsequent confirmation of his arrival on the same night. In the message, Biswas was instructed not to initiate contact due to Anar’s supposed busy schedule. Despite these communications, there has been no direct outreach from Anar since.
Following this, Biswas lodged a missing person report at the Baranagar police station, prompting the MP’s daughter to seek assistance upon her unsuccessful attempts to reach her father.
Police investigation
The police investigation into the disappearance of Anar unveiled concerning developments. Blood stains found in the flat located in a Kolkata suburb, purportedly the last place Anar was sighted, have raised suspicions of foul play and possible murder, although a body has yet to be found.
According to the ongoing investigation, on May 13 at approximately 1.40 pm, Anar left in a taxi to consult a neurologist at a Kolkata hospital. The cab driver informed authorities that they had picked up another Bangladeshi national from the New Market area before proceeding to the flat in New Town. CCTV footage showed that besides Anar, two men and a woman entered the building. While the trio was observed leaving the premises over the subsequent three days, Anar remained unaccounted for.
The case, which was being handled by the local police, has now been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi, Inspector General of the West Bengal CID, said Anar’s associate, Gopal Biswas, reported his disappearance on 18 May, five days after the alleged incident.
“Bangladeshi MP Anwarul Azim Anar was on his personal visit here about which we had no intimation. On 18 May, we got information that his associate Gopal Biswas had reported him missing since May 13,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to trace Anar, with the CID stepping in following directives from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A forensic examination of the flat has been conducted, yielding undisclosed findings. Additionally, inquiries have extended to Bihar and Chhattisgarh, as one of Anar’s mobile phones last registered activity in Bihar.
The property where Anar was last sighted is owned by a Bengal government employee, rented out to a US national named Akhtaruzzaman. Authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding Anar’s disappearance, with crucial details yet to emerge.
