Arrests continue in Bangladesh over Rohingya leader's murder

DHAKA: Five more Rohingya militants have been arrested at Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh for their alleged involvement in the murder of Rohingya leader Mohammad Mohib Ullah, officials said on Saturday.

The fresh arrests came a day after the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) had held six others in connection with the case.

"A special APBn team conducted raids at various Ukhiya camps (in Cox's Bazar) to maintain law and order in the wake of the killing of Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah," a police officer said.

A group of unidentified gunmen had killed 48-year-old Mohib Ullah at a refugee camp in Ukhiya on September 29.

Mohib Ullah was the chairman of a moderate Rohingya group, Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights, and was known as a 'voice for the Rohingya' in the Western media.

The five were arrested following raids at different Rohingya camps in Ukhiya from Friday night until Saturday morning, Md Naimul Haque, superintendent of police and captain of the 14th Armed Police Battalion, told IANS on Saturday.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Khaled Hossain, 33, Master Syed, 38, Mohammad Shaker, 35, Mohammad, 18, and Mohammad Ilias, 22.

"Five members of a militant outfit centered on the Rohingya camps were detained. They have been accused of extortion, murder, kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and assault on police," the APBn captain said.

The detainees were handed over to the Ukhiya police. Terming Ullah's murder as an "unfortunate incident", Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen told IANS that the government would not spare the killers.

The killing or any disturbance will not hamper the repatriation process of the Rohingyas, he said on Saturday after visiting the Bhashan Char Rohingya camp. Rohingya refugees said the arrested individuals are members of the 'Arakan Republican Salvation Army' (ARSA), a banned Rohingya militant outfit. (IANS)

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