RU professor Rezaul Karim murder probe handed over to Detective Branch, police quizzing one

The Detective Branch (DB) have been given charge of the investigation of the murder of Rajshahi University Professor AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee.

Rajshahi University Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 24 April 2016, 08:44 AM
Updated : 24 April 2016, 12:45 PM

Police say they have detained one person to quiz over the murder.

“We started interrogating a person last night (Saturday),” Rajshahi Metropolitan Police chief Md Shamsuddin told reporters.

The police commissioner, however, did not disclose any other details, including the identity of the person being questioned.

Siddiquee, an English Department teacher at the university, was murdered on Saturday.

Witnesses said that two men on a motorcycle attacked him around 7:30 am within 50 yards from his residence in the city while he was on his way to the university.

The murder followed a now-familiar pattern witnessed in the recent killings of bloggers and online activists as well as foreigners — using sharp weapons and targeting the head or neck.

The family filed a case over the murder with the local police the same day.

Police suspect the involvement of Islamist radicals in the killing while monitoring group SITE reports that the Middle East-based Islamic State has claimed the murder.

Classes and exams at Rajshahi University have been stopped on Sunday to protest the teacher’s murder.

His students and colleagues say professor Siddiquee was a man of peace, literature and culture.

He edited a literary journal 'Komal Gandhar' and was involved with several cultural organisations in Rajshahi.

Police have formed a ‘monitoring team’ headed by Additional Commissioner Tamijuddin Sarker to supervise the probe.

The team held a meeting with the university authorities on Sunday at the vice-chancellor’s residence.

“The investigation is a top priority. We hope to nab the killers soon,” Sarkar told reporters after the meeting.