The Sheikh Hasina government has said that it sees a “conspiracy” by certain quarters to create an “unstable situation” in Bangladesh, behind the two successive killings of foreigners.
The Prime Minister categorically said on Sunday that the murders of an Italian and a Japanese in quick succession were “pre-planned and similar in style”. Addressing a press conference on Sunday after returning from her trip to the UN assembly in New York, she said the murders were part of a conspiracy to ‘tarnish the image’ of the government.
“There is no reason to believe that all our achievements will be overshadowed by these heinous murders, but that is what is being attempted.”
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She also described the two murders as ‘politically motivated’ and promised firm action. Ms. Hasina said that the murder of foreigners took place at a time when the war crimes trials were taking place, referring to the possible executions of two top war criminals belonging to Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat-e-Islami .
The Prime Minister appealed to the people “not to get too sensitive or carried away by these murders” and said the government would take action and track down the culprits. The ruling Awami League leader said, “We will continue our drive against militancy. Militants have no religion and no state. Militancy is their religion.”
Meanwhile country’s Home Minister Asssaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the motive behind the murder of Japanese Kunio Hoshi, the second foreigner to be killed in Bangladesh in a week, was to foment instability in the country.
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The police have so far arrested four people for questioning. The U.S. Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat has urged Bangladesh government to investigate ‘every aspect’ of the murder of a Japanese national and bring the perpetrators to justice.