PP Rathis missing: Minority groups announce road blockade for April 7

Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Oikya Parishad has announced a daylong road blockade for Saturday demanding the law enforcers take quick steps to find missing Public Prosecutor Rathis Chandra Bhowmik, a witness in a war crimes case.

Along with Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the minority group has been holding token hunger strikes in Rangpur since Monday morning. 

“The highway in Rangpur will be blocked on Saturday if he is not rescued by the time,” said Banamali Paul, president of the Oikya Parishad’s Rangpur chapter, during Tuesday’s demonstration.

Advocate Rathis, 55, who represented the state in the cases over the killings of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi and Rahmat Ali, a caretaker of a shrine, went missing on Friday, according to a general diary or GD filed by his family. 

Rangpur Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman said they were investigating all possible angles in the case, including land disputes, militancy and the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Rathis is a witness in the war crimes case against Jamaat Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam. The war criminal was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal and the Appellate Division is hearing it now.

Police already arrested nine suspects and continued grilling them in custody over the missing of Bhowmik.

The law enforcers launched a manhunt for a person who came and drove Rathis away by motorcycle from his home on Friday.