No Link Between 23 Killings and Communal Violence

Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary, Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, spoke at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy this evening. Photo: BSS

Azad made this declaration during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy this evening.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddha Christian Unity Council, in a press conference held on Thursday, claimed that 23 individuals had been killed in communal violence over the past four and a half months following the July uprising.

The interim government took the Council's claims seriously and gathered a list of the 23 victims. Azad explained that the Chief Adviser’s Office sent the list to the relevant police stations, requesting detailed reports on the circumstances of each killing and the legal actions taken.

According to Azad, police headquarters provided updates on all but one of the 23 incidents, revealing that they had investigated 22 of the killings and taken appropriate legal action in each case. In one incident, no further details were available.

The Deputy Press Secretary emphasized that none of the 22 investigated cases had been linked to communal violence. He explained the circumstances of the killings: seven were related to theft and robbery, four were the result of personal or family disputes, three involved general criminal activities such as rape, excessive drinking, and quarrels, two were accidents, two were related to business rivalry, one was a clash, one stemmed from a land dispute, and one was a suicide. The cause behind one death remains unclear, though it has been confirmed that none of these cases were connected to communal violence.

Azad further noted that legal actions had been taken in all these cases, with investigations proceeding as required. In the two incidents involving suicide and drowning, the police had already submitted final reports after completing their investigations.

Of the 21 ongoing investigations, 47 people have been arrested, with 17 of them giving confessional statements in court under Section 164.

Azad reiterated that the interim government, led by Professor Muhammad Yunus, strongly opposes any form of violence and is concerned about the spreading of unfounded claims labeling these incidents as communal violence.

He warned that such propaganda could jeopardize the nation's communal harmony and urged all citizens to act responsibly in this matter.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also addressed the briefing.