Jashore: The government today clarified that the killing of Rana Pratap Bairagi in Jashore was not linked to religion or any journalistic matter, saying that local police have confirmed the victim was already an accused in a murder case.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Chief Adviser's Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad addressed reporters at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy, emphasizing that misinformation had been spread following the murder. He stated that Bairagi's killing was incorrectly framed as an attack on a journalist and was falsely linked to religious identity.
Foyez Ahammad explained that local police authorities have reported that Bairagi had been involved in extremist politics and had prior accusations of murder against him. He highlighted that the region has a history of issues related to extremist politics, with multiple factions involved in ongoing conflicts.
He further clarified that the killing was the result of an old enmity tied to these extremist political activities and not related to any religious or journalistic motives. The press briefing, attended by Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, reassured that police have already commenced investigations and are actively working to apprehend those responsible for the killing.