Home ›› 02 Oct 2021 ›› Front
Police have arrested one person on Friday in connection with the killing of Rohingya leader Mohibullah in Cox’s Bazar, amid growing calls for justice from the international community.
At the same time, police also filed the first investigation report (FIR) of the murder case, filed against unknown persons, with Ukhiya police station on Thursday night on a complaint from Mohibullah’s brother Habibullah, reports UNB.
The development comes soon after the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), which has been accused by Mohibullah’s family of orchestrating the murder, has demanded accountability for the killing in a statement on Friday.
ARSA said it was shocked and saddened by Wednesday’s killing of Mohibullah, who led one of the largest of several community groups to emerge since more than 730,000 Rohingya Muslims fled neighbouring Myanmar after a military crackdown in August 2017, reports Reuters.
“It is time for bringing the criminals to account instead of finger-pointing with baseless and hearsay accusations,” the group said in its statement, blaming the shooting on “transnational border-based criminals”, but citing no evidence.
Earlier, the United States and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) condemned the killing.
In a statement issued on Thursday on the US Department of State website, US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken said, “We are deeply saddened and disturbed by the murder of Rohingya Muslim advocate and community leader Mohib Ullah in Bangladesh on September 29. Mohib Ullah was a brave and fierce advocate for the human rights of Rohingya Muslims around the world.”
“We urge a full and transparent investigation into his death with the goal of holding the perpetrators of this heinous crime accountable. We will honour his work by continuing to advocate for Rohingya and lift up the voices of members of the community in decisions about their future,” the statement added.
The condemnation also came from the United Nations which called for a proper probe into the killing.
“The United Nations urges the Bangladesh authorities to undertake an investigation and to hold those responsible to account,” said Stephanie Tremblay, associate spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said in a statement.
The UN also urged continued strong international support for the protection and support to the Rohingya communities anywhere in the world, including in Bangladesh.
At the same time, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, urged Bangladesh to undertake an immediate investigation into the killing of Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah and hold those responsible to account.
“UNHCR is deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic killing of Rohingya refugee leader Mohib Ullah in Cox’s Bazar. We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms,” said the UN agency in a statement on Thursday.
“The UNHCR extended deepest condolences to Mohib Ullah’s family, and to the wider Rohingya community who are mourning his loss,” the statement added
UNHCR also said they are in contact with law enforcement agencies and governmental authorities in charge of maintaining safety and security for the Rohingyas living in the camps.
Rohingya man held over murder
SP Naimul Haque, commander of the 14th Armed Police Battalion, said APBN members arrested the suspect in connection with the case from Camp-6 at Kutupalong in Ukhiya upazila around 11am.
The arrestee was identified as Md Selim alias Lomba Selim, 27, a Rohingya citizen living in Ukhiya Rohingya camp, reports UNB.
“Later, he was handed over to Ukhikya Police Station,” said the SP.
Earlier on Wednesday night, unidentified gunmen entered Rohingya refugee camp at Ukhiya and opened fire on Mohibullah, chairman of the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights.
Mohibullah was taken to the health centre of Médecins Sans Frontières at the refugee camp where doctors pronounced him dead.
He was buried in Lambashia camp-1 in Ukhiya upazila on Thursday afternoon after his namaz-e-janaza, which was attended by a large number of Rohingya refugees from camps in Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas.
Before fleeing to Bangladesh, Mohibullah was a school teacher in Myanmar’s Rakhine State.
Mohibullah and several hundred volunteers founded the ARSPH in late 2017.
He became prominent as a representative of the Rohingyas during visits by high-level delegations to the camps, addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council about the plight of the Rohingyas in Geneva in 2019 and also met former US president Donald Trump.
