Govt rejects communal angle in Rajbari killing, vows legal action
According to police information and preliminary investigations, the statement said, the incident was not a communal attack
The government has strongly condemned the killing of a man in a mob lynching in Rajbari and rejected claims circulating on social media and in some media outlets that the incident was communal in nature, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"It has come to the government's notice that misleading information is being spread on social media and in various media outlets regarding the tragic killing that took place on Wednesday night in the Pangsha Police Station area of Rajbari district," said a statement issued by the Chief Adviser's Press Wing on Thursday night (25 December).
According to police information and preliminary investigations, the statement said the incident was not a communal attack. Rather, it stemmed from a violent situation arising out of extortion and criminal activities.
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The deceased, identified as top criminal Amrit Mandol alias Samrat, had gone to the area to demand extortion money and was killed during clashes with angry local residents, the statement read.
It said Samrat was previously accused in several serious cases, including murder and extortion, filed in 2023, and that arrest warrants had been issued against him in those cases.
Police detained one of his associates, Selim, from the scene along with a foreign-made pistol and a pipe gun, the statement said, adding that three cases have already been filed in connection with the incident.
"The government strongly condemns the killing. The government wants to make it clear that it does not support any kind of illegal activities, mob violence or mass beatings," the statement said, adding that legal action would be taken against all those directly or indirectly involved.
Law enforcement agencies are continuing their investigation into the incident, it said.
"Simultaneously, the government is observing with deep concern that a certain group is attempting to portray the incident as a communal attack by highlighting the religious identity of the deceased, which is completely baseless and driven by ill motives," the statement said.
Noting that such propaganda could harm communal harmony and deteriorate the law-and-order situation, the government urged all concerned to act responsibly and requested everyone to refrain from spreading misleading, provocative and communal statements.
"The government is committed to establishing the rule of law and ensuring justice," the statement said.
Stating that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony, the statement added that any attempt to disrupt peace and stability in the country would be dealt with with an iron hand.
