Family members and a local Chittagong group on Friday organized a human chain program to seek justice over the murder of Bangladeshi student Romim Uddin Ahmed, who was killed in the United States allegedly by robbers.
“On early Wednesday, my younger brother, Romim Uddin Ahmed, was killed by a group of robbers in the United States. After the incident, the police arrested one person involved, but he managed to escape from custody while handcuffed. We are now suspicious about getting proper justice,” said Riyaz Uddin Ahmed in a heartfelt plea for justice for his slain brother.
“We request the Biden administration, the US embassy, and the Bangladeshi government to ensure fair justice in this matter. We urge you all to support our family," he added.
The human chain was organized by “We, the People of Chittagong (Amra Chattogram Bashi), in front of the Chittagong Press Club.
The event was attended by a large number of journalists, children of freedom fighters, students, youth organization members, and cultural activists holding banners with “We Want Justice” written on them.
The event, presided over by organizer Yasir Arafat, saw Chittagong Union of Journalists (CUJ) Vice President Anindya Titu, among others, demanding justice for Romim Uddin Ahmed's murder.
Chittagong Press Club General Secretary Farid Chowdhury said: "The son of a brave freedom fighter from Chittagong was shot dead in the United States while he was working. There is no safety for human life there, nor are there any human rights. However, they talk about human rights in Bangladesh.”
He added: “More than 21,000 people have been killed by police and criminals in the United States since 2013. Of these, over a thousand people are killed by police each year. On average, three people are killed in the United States every day. People are being killed in broad daylight. Yet, the United States raises questions about human rights in Bangladesh. First, they need to establish human rights in their own country."
"The United States often threatens various countries with sanctions. The global community should bring the United States under sanctions for extrajudicial killings by the police," he added.
Echoing the same perspective, Anindya Titu said people are shot openly like birds in the United States, and they do not get any justice.
“A statistic has shown that since 2013, on average 100 people are murdered each month in the US. They are killed for trivial reasons such as racial discrimination and traffic law violations. I have now learned that the suspect involved in the Romim murder has escaped police custody. Yet they question human rights in our democratic and secular Bangladesh. They attempt to derail the ongoing development under the leadership of our honourable prime minister, urged by those opposed to our independence. I would say, first administer justice for murders in your own country and establish human rights,” he remarked.
The organizer of the event, Yasir Arafat, said: "We demand justice for the murder of Romim Uddin Ahmed. This heinous crime confirms that there are no human rights in the United States. There is no security for life there. We strongly condemn this incident and aim to draw the attention of the global community."
Romim Uddin Ahmed was shot dead by miscreants in the Missouri state in the US early Wednesday at 3:30am (Bangladesh time).
It was primarily believed that the motive behind the crime was to rob the victim's car and cash.
Romim was the son of the late freedom fighter Samshuddin Ahmed and hailed from the Mirsarai upazila in Chittagong district.
He was studying Computer Science at a local college and simultaneously working at a gas station.
Bangladeshi journalist Mohammad Manjurul Haq, who resides in the United States, said that Romim was working at the gas station when a group of miscreants tried to break into his parked car.
When Romim intervened, a gunman targeted him and fired. He was later taken to the hospital by the police, where he was declared dead, he said.
Riyaz Uddin Ahmed, Romim's brother, said that a case has been filed with the US police regarding the incident.