The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council has demanded a judicial investigation into the killings of Rangpur teacher Ganapati Chakraborty and his family. The organisation also called on the government to make a statement in parliament, identify those truly responsible and ensure exemplary punishment. The demands were made on Saturday at a rally held after a human chain and protest march in front of the National Press Club.

Nirmal Rozario, one of the organisation’s presidents, said it appeared to the group that a special circle had carried out the killings to serve its own objectives and interests. He alleged that police activity had begun to conceal the real incident or divert it in another direction. Other speakers strongly condemned the killings and said the police account of the case was not credible.

Speakers said the incident had created fear not only among local minorities in Rangpur but also among minority communities across the country. They said such incidents could encourage minorities to leave the country and had harmed Bangladesh’s image internationally. The rally was chaired by Youth Unity Council president Shimul Saha and included several organisational leaders, activists, lawyers and journalists.