Police on Sunday published five new videos of six suspected killers of Bangladesh born US citizen writer-blogger Avijit Roy. Police say they spotted at least six killers who took part in Avijit killing mission.
The video footages were published on Sunday afternoon, Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) told The Daily Observer. Police published the video footage of six suspected killers but failed to provide full name of the suspects. Police sought to know if you can identify any of them," and asked for information through the police apps.
Police said Shariful (Mukul Rana) led the assassination of writer Avijit Roy. Shariful has been killed in a "gunfight" with police later. ACCTV camera footage of the crime scene of February 26 last year appeared to show him following Avijit. Another five also took part in the killing mission.
Police had named him as Shariful alias Shakib alias Sharif alias Saleh alias Arif alias Hadi 1 and claimed he was an Ansarullah Bangla Team leader with thorough knowledge of the banned outfit's operations.
Sharif, one of six militants with rewards on their heads, was killed in the 'shootout' with Detective Branch (DB) officers at Khilgaon's Meradia Bashpotti early on June 19.
In the footage, the youth with a mobile phone in his hand was seen apparently following Avijit and Bonya. But the image was not clear. Police have claimed that Sharif was a 'vital member' of the banned militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team's 'operation division'.
Sharif, who hails from the southern region of Khulna, had studied English literature at a private university. He had also worked for an NGO, according to DB officials. "He has been using aliases Sakib, Saleh, Arif and Hadi to conceal his identity.
Avijit, along with his wife Barna, were attacked on the Dhaka University campus on February 26, 2015 during Ekushey Booki Fair, under the eyes of law enforcers and CCTV cameras set up in the Book Fair area on the campus to ensure safety of the visitors, book sellers and buyers. Avijit died from multiple stabs while his wife was also seriously wounded.
The country's entire cultural community, with special regards for bloggers, atheists and so-called free thinkers, strongly protested the killing and attack and pressed the government to arrest and punish the assailants. The government, especially the Home Ministry, and the police bosses, made relentless promises to pull the drop scene on the case before it is too late, but so far they have not managed to gain pace.
Saying that a total of eight people including Farabi have been arrested in connection with the murder so far, police, however, failed to find out any evidence from them. Detective Branch of police on March 11 last year handed over the evidence of Avijit murder to the FBI for DNA test.
The FBI got the evidence a day after a Dhaka court ordered the detectives to get a DNA test done by the US investigation agency.
A senior intelligence officer preferring anonymity told the daily Observer that, said they suspect the involvement of a trans-regional radical group operating across Bangladesh. That would point to a group like Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Meanwhile, Ansar Bangla-7, believed to be an Islamist outfit, has claimed responsibility for killing Avijit.
