In the murder case of Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, convener of the Inqilab Mancha, a Chattogram-based arms trader, Md. Majedul Haque Helal, has been placed on a three-day remand after being arrested as a suspected accused.

The order was issued on Wednesday by Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam, following a request from Assistant Superintendent of Police Abdul Qadir Bhuiyan of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who is leading the investigation.

Helal was arrested a day earlier from the Chawkbazar area of Chattogram. He was produced before the court, where CID initially sought a seven-day remand for further questioning.

State prosecutor Harun-or-Rashid argued in favor of the remand, while no defense lawyer appeared for the accused. When asked by the court if he wished to make any statement, Helal declined.

According to the remand application, the firearm used in the killing—a pistol—was recovered from Narsingdi. A separate case was filed under the Arms Act at a local police station. Forensic analysis confirmed that bullets and cartridges found at the crime scene were fired from the recovered weapon.

Further micro-analysis helped identify the pistol’s serial number. Investigators found that the weapon was imported by MIH Arms Company in Dhaka and sold to Islam Uddin Ahmed & Sons on December 3, 2017. It was later sold in February 2018 to Hamidul Haque Arms & Company in Chattogram, owned by Helal.

Authorities also revealed that Helal’s arms license had not been renewed after December 31, 2014. Despite this, he allegedly purchased the firearm without a valid license renewal.

Investigators are now seeking to determine how the weapon was transferred from Helal to other suspects involved in the murder.

Sharif Osman Bin Hadi had announced his intention to contest the 13th National Parliamentary Election as an independent candidate from Dhaka-8. He was shot on December 12, a day after the election schedule was announced, in the Box Culvert Road area of Purana Paltan in the capital.

A case was filed on December 14 by Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of Inqilab Mancha, at Paltan Police Station. Hadi later died on December 18 while undergoing treatment in Singapore, after which the case was converted into a murder case.

Earlier, on January 6, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police submitted a charge sheet against 17 individuals, including Faisal Karim Masud. However, the complainant challenged the report in court, prompting the judge to order further investigation by the CID.