Police release two bank officials held from Rajshahi over Kunio murder

Police have released two bank officials held in Rajshahi after questioning them over the murder of Japanese citizen Kunio Hoshi.

Two officials of BRAC Bank's Alupatti branch in Rajshahi, Sultan Nahid and HM Shahriar Alam, were picked by Rajshahi police on Thursday and handed over to Rangpur police the next day.

Nahid, is a cousin of Hoshi murder suspect ‘Hira’ and Alam is his friend, investigation officer Inspector Mamunur Rashid said.

They were arrested on information given by Hira during interrogation, he added.

Rangpur’s Superintendent of Police (SP) Abdur Razzak said the two were released on Saturday after questioning.

“They have been released as no substantial information was found from them regarding the murder of Kunio Hoshi,” he told bdnews24.com.
 
Hoshi, who came to Bangladesh in May, was shot dead from close range on Oct 3 in Rangpur, five days after a similar shooting of an Italian in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone.

The government has discounted media reports on possible involvement of IS with the killings.

Police arrested six suspects in Rangpur over the murder of the Japanese, but it is unclear whether any of them would be charged with murder.

A five-member body, investigating the crime, met on Saturday but details were not available.

Meanwhile, Hoshi’s body has been kept at the Rangpur Medical College and Hospital mortuary.

Locals claim he had converted to Islam.

The Japanese embassy had contacted Rangpur’s local administration on whether Hoshi could be buried there.

Acting Deputy Commissioner Mostain Billah said no decision had been reached on that.