Rights groups call for probe into Rohingya leader Mohibullah murder

Condemning the assassination of Rohingya leader Mohibullah in Cox's Bazar, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Fortify Rights in separate statements urged the Bangladesh government to investigate the murder and deliver justice.

HRW in a statement said Mohibullah's death undermines not only the struggle of Rohingya refugees for greater rights and protection in the refugee camps but also their efforts to safely return to their homes in Myanmar.

"Mohibullah was a vital voice for the community of Rohingya who had already suffered unimaginable loss and pain when they arrived as refugees in Bangladesh," said HRW South Asia Director Meenakshi Ganguly.

Saad Hammadi, Amnesty International's South Asia campaigner, said "Mohibullah 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, he said.

"Violence in the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar 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," he concluded.  

In another statement, human rights organisation Fortify Rights called on Bangladesh authorities to get to the bottom of the murder and hold the perpetrators accountable.

"This is a devastating loss for everyone who knew and loved Mohib Ullah, and it is also a tremendous loss for Myanmar, the Rohingya people, and the human rights movement more broadly," said Matthew Smith, chief executive officer at Fortify Rights.

He also said Mohibullah was committed to truth, justice, and human rights and had been facing serious and sustained threats in Bangladesh.

Smith further said the Rohingya leader had needed protection.

"Dhaka must prioritise the protection of Rohingya people, including human rights defenders, who routinely experience heightened threats to their personal security," he added.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it was "deeply saddened by the killing of Mr Mohib Ullah, a prominent Rohingya refugee representative".

"We are in continuous contact with law enforcement authorities in charge of maintaining peace and security in the camps," the UNHCR spokesperson in Bangladesh, Regina De La Portilla, told AFP.

Mohibullah, 46, who led the Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, was shot dead at around 8:30pm at a Kutupalong camp office in Cox's Bazar.

He had represented the Rohingya community at the United Nations Human Rights Council in 2019.   

Mohibullah came to the limelight on 25 August 2019 when a rally organised by Arakan Rohingya Society to observe two years of the latest Rohingya exodus from the Rakhine state of Myanmar, drew more than 100,000 people.