9 people arrested in connection with murder of lawyer during violence in Bangladesh

At least nine people have been arrested in connection with the murder of a lawyer during unrest in the port city of Chattogram in southeastern Bangladesh, police said on Saturday.

They were arrested after a case was opened against 46 people, mostly cleaning workers from the Hindu minority, for their involvement in the murder of assistant prosecutor Saiful Islam, in his 30s, during clashes on Tuesday between security staff and supporters of Hindu community leader Chinmoy Krishna Das after he was denied release. on bail and sent to jail by a Chattogram court.

Das, a spokesman for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was arrested on Monday at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in a sedition case.

“Father Saiful Islam filed a case last night naming 46 people,” said Abdul Karim, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station in the port city.

Karim said most of the accused were residents of the city’s Sebok Colony, a cluster of cleaning workers belonging to the Hindu community. He said nine accused have been arrested and a manhunt is on to arrest the rest.

He said the accused were identified from CCTV footage of the court premises, the scene of the November 26 violence.

Police said the main accused was one person identified as Chandan Das, who hacked the lawyer with a sharp instrument.

The incident sparked nationwide outrage as lawyers and political groups took to the streets demanding severe punishment against the killers of Islam, while some groups wanted ISKCON banned in Bangladesh.

However, ISKCON Bangladesh said Das had been expelled from the organization long before his arrest and added that ISKCON was not involved in the murder or violence.