Hoshi Kunio murder case public prosecutor Rathish goes missing

Special Public Prosecutor Rathish Chandra Bhowmik, who represented the state in the Hoshi Kunio and Khadem Rahmat Ali murder cases, has been missing since Friday. He had informed his acquaintances about receiving death threats, said Awami League’s Rangpur district General Secretary Rejaul Karim Raju. “I think it is a planned act to destabilize the country ahead of the election,” Raju said, adding that top leadership of the party has been informed. Rathish’s family has filed a police complaint. His wife Deepa Bhowmik said her husband had gone out to work in the morning. “He has been missing since he left with a guy, who was wearing punjabi, on a red motorcycle. His mobile phone is switched off,” she said. Sushanta Bhowmik, the lawyer’s brother, said he had informed Rangpur’s Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman over phone about the matter soon after learning about his brother’s disappearance on Friday night. Rathish’s colleagues and relatives looked for him all over Rangpur but failed to find him until Saturday morning. Seven members of banned militant outfit Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh were sentenced to death by a Rangpur court for the murders of the Japanese national and the shrine caretaker. Rathish is also a prominent figure in Rangpur’s lawyers’ community. He is the legal affairs secretary of the Awami League’s district unit, and Hindu-Christian-Buddhist Unity Council’s Rangpur division. Rangpur Puja Udjapon Parishad’s President Bonomali Pal said that the administration had not taken any steps even after he received death threats. “Police only guarded his house for several days after the Kunio murder case verdict but did not take any steps to ensure his security after the March 18 verdict of Khadem Rahmat Ali,” he added. Meanwhile, locals and Awami League activists have staged protests demanding the lawyer be rescued. They also threatened to intensify their agitation if Rathish was not rescued within 24 hours. Babul Mia, officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station, said: “We are continuing our investigation considering his role in the militant cases. We are also trying to track his mobile phone.”