No communal link found in killings of 23 minority individuals: CA Press Wing

The killings of 23 minority individuals in Bangladesh, as reported by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Unity Council, have no connection to communal violence, according to the Chief Adviser�s Office.  

Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder stated that the interim government took the council�s claims seriously and conducted an extensive investigation into each case.  
  
The Chief Adviser�s Office collected the names of the 23 individuals and forwarded the list to the respective police stations for verification. Based on reports from police headquarters, the causes of 22 out of the 23 killings were identified: seven were related to theft and robbery, while four were related to personal and family disputes, three related to general crimes like rape, excessive drinking of alcohol and quarrel, two related to accidents, two related to business enmity, one related to a clash, one related to a land dispute, one committed suicide and the exact reason behind one death could not be known yet, but confirming it was happened for any communal violence.

Azad emphasized that no evidence suggested that these incidents were acts of communal violence.  

Azad said legal actions have already been taken in each of these incidents with due importance. 

In two incidents, where one committed suicide and one died due to drowning under water, police have already submitted final reports after investigation, he said. 

Azad said the other 21 cases were under investigation, while 47 people have already been arrested and 17 of these arrestees have confessed their responsibility and given confessional statements in court under Section 164.

He said the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus does not support any kind of violence and at the same time, it concerned over spreading propaganda for labeling such incidents as communal violence.

The deputy press secretary said propaganda can lead to the destruction of the overall communal harmony of the country and urged all to play responsible role in this regard.

Chief Adviser�s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also spoke on the occasion.