Bangladesh govt to take responsibility of lynched Hindu man's family

The Bangladesh interim government has decided to take responsibility for the family of the Hindu man who was lynched over alleged derogatory remarks against Islam. The announcement was made by Education Adviser C R Abrar on Tuesday (December 23), who met the bereaved family of 25-year-old Dipu Das.

“The state has taken the responsibilities of taking care of Dipu Das’ child, wife and parents,” Abrar said, calling the killing of the garment factory worker a “brutal crime which has no excuse”.

Yunus expressed grief

Elaborating further, Abrar said that before meeting Dipu’s family, he spoke to Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, who asked him to convey to them the government’s “profound sorrow and deepest condolences."

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Dipu’s father has demanded justice for his son’s killing, describing the condition of the family to the adviser.

Reaffirming that financial and welfare assistance would be provided to Das’ family, Yunus’s office stated that relevant authorities would remain in close contact with them in the coming period.

12 arrested in lynching case

Twelve people have been held so far for their alleged involvement in the murder. Yunus’ press wing in a statement on Tuesday said “allegations, rumours or differences of belief can never excuse violence, and no individual has the right to take the law into their own hands”.

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“The government reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to the rule of law, noting that the authority to investigate alleged offences and ensure justice through due process rests solely with the state,” it said.

Dipu’s’ killing sparked widespread protests by factory workers, students and rights groups in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh, while India expressed its concerns as well.

What triggered the Bangladesh unrest

The mob attack coincided with the death of a radical right-wing cultural group Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi at a Singapore hospital six days after masked gunmen shot him in Dhaka.

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Hadi was a prominent face in the anti-government protests last year that toppled Sheikh Hasina's government.

Following his death, Bangladesh experienced a fresh wave of unrest, with a mob setting alight the offices of the mass-circulation Daily Star and Prothom Alo, as well as two leading cultural groups, Chhayanot and the Udichi Shilpi Goshti, which were founded in the 1960s.

28 arrested so far in attack on media

Meanwhile, with the arrest of 11 more people, the number of arrests in cases related to the mob-attack on the offices of Pothom Alo and The Daily Star reached 28, reported the Daily Star.

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The suspects were detained in separate operations across Dhaka and later shown to be arrested in two cases filed over the attacks, nine in the case lodged by The Daily Star and two in the Prothom Alo case. They were produced before a Dhaka court, where investigators sought their detention until completion of the investigation. The court subsequently ordered them to be sent to jail.

Earlier in the day, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police said the Detective Branch arrested nine suspects from different parts of the capital, while the remaining two were picked up by Tejgaon police. The arrestees were identified as 11 individuals aged between 21 and 39.

Efforts to identify attackers continue

In the forwarding report, the investigating officer said efforts to identify all those involved were continuing and stressed the need to keep the accused in custody to verify their addresses and roles. He also indicated that remand would be sought later to recover looted items and cash.

Deputy Commissioner (media) Talebur Rahman said the political affiliations of the suspects were yet to be determined, adding that investigators were examining CCTV footage and intelligence inputs to identify those who instigated the attacks.

(With agency inputs)