A Hindu businessmen’s denial to pay the extortion money to
drug addicts cost his life in Bangladesh. Debesh Chandra Pramanik, a 68-years old shoe
store owner, was murdered inside his shop when he allegedly refused to pay the
money. He was resident of Gaibandha of northwestern, Gobindaganj Upazila.
Recently, people belonging to Hindu community as well as
atheists and secular activists, bloggers were targeted in the Muslim-majority
nation. The attackers claim to be members of Islamic State or Al-Qaeda or some
global and local terrorist organisations.
Gobindaganj Upazila. “The assailants slit throat using sharp
weapons leaving him dead instantly,” the officer in-charge of the police
station in the neighbourhood Mozammel Haque told reporters.
He said police immediately launched an investigation into
the murder and arrested one Nepen Chandra in connection with the murder. The
victim’s family claimed that some local drug addicts tried to extort money from
Pramanik a few days ago and when he refused to pay, an argument broke out at
the shop.
Pramanik’s son Debashish Chandra told reporters that his
father could be a victim of the drug addicts. “There was heated exchange of
words after my father refused to pay them the money they demanded,” he said.
Police, however, said they were yet unclear about the motive
and identity of the assailants. Bangladesh in recent period witnessed a wave of
murders of liberal and secular activists, writers and minorities by suspected
Islamist militants. A Muslim homoeopath doctor being their last victim last
week in western Kushtia.
The Islamic State reportedly claimed responsibilities of
most of the murders but Bangladeshi authorities rejected the claims. “The home grown militants are repeatedly trying to
prove their links with international outfits like IS or al Qaeda,” a senior
home ministry official had said after last week’s murder. “Our investigations
found no link of any international group to the incidents (clandestine attacks)
in Bangladesh.”
A Buddhist monk, a atheist student, two gay rights
activists, a liberal professor, a Hindu tailor and a sufi Muslim leader were
the other victims of the deadly attacks since last month.
Source: Indian Express
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