Refugee Leader Killing: Bangladeshi court sends two suspects to 3-day remand

Senior Judicial Magistrate Tamanna Farah passed the order after hearing the police’s remand plea on Sunday morning, reports Dhaka Tribune.

Confirming the matter, court police’s Inspector Chandan Kumar Chakraborty told Dhaka Tribune that police on Saturday evening had asked for seven days for the two accused -– Mohammad Selim Prakash alias Lamba Selim and Shawkat Ullah.

In the past few days, five people have been arrested in connection with the case.

As per local media reports, the other three arrested people were identified as Ziaur Rahman, Abdus Salam and Md Elias.

Armed Police Battalion’s (APBn) 14th Battalion Commander SP Naimul Haque told Dhaka Tribune Elias was taken into custody during a drive at Kutupalong camp No 5 around midday on Sunday.

Unknown people had shot dead Mohib Ullah at Lambashia camp No 1 in Ukhiya recently.

US, UN condemn:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the incident and said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the murder of Rohingya Muslim advocate and community leader Mohib Ullah in Bangladesh on September 29."

He said: "Mohib Ullah was a brave and fierce advocate for the human rights of Rohingya Muslims around the world. He traveled to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and to the United States to speak at the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom in 2019."

Blinken said: "We urge a full and transparent investigation into his death with the goal of holding the perpetrators of this heinous crime accountable. We will honor his work by continuing to advocate for Rohingya and lift up the voices of members of the community in decisions about their future."

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday called for a prompt, thorough, and effective investigation into the killing of a veteran Rohingya activist at a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

“It is heartbreaking that a person who spent his life fighting to ensure that the violations committed against the Rohingya people were known world-wide has been murdered in this way,” the UN rights chief said.

Bachelet described Ullah as “an exceptional human rights defender, who despite the risks that his work entailed, nevertheless continued defending the rights of his people.”

Ullah travelled to Geneva in March 2019 to address the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Council in person, explaining how the Rohingya had suffered discrimination for decades, such as being deprived of their basic rights, including nationality, land, health and education.

Responding to the killing of leading Rohingya activist Mohib Ullah, who was shot dead this evening in the refugee camp in Cox’s Bazaar, Saad Hammadi, Amnesty International’s South Asia Campaigner, said:  

“Mohib Ullah was a leading representative of the Rohingya community, who spoke out against violence in the camps and in support of the human rights and protection of refugees. His killing sends a chilling effect across the entire community. The onus is now on the Bangladeshi authorities to expedite an investigation into his murder and bring all those suspected of criminal responsibility to justice in fair trials.  

“We call on the Bangladeshi authorities and the UN Refugee Agency to work together to ensure the protection of people in the camps, including refugees, civil society activists and humanitarian workers from both the Rohingya and host community, many of whom have shared concerns about their safety.  

“Violence in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazaar has been a growing problem. Armed groups operating drug cartels have killed people and held hostages. The authorities must take immediate action to prevent further bloodshed.”