A Japanese national has been gunned down in Bangladesh’s northern district of Rangpur within five days of an identical murder of an Italian aid worker in Dhaka. Unknown assailants on a motorcycle fired at the Japanese in Rangpur’s Kawnia Upazila around 11am on Saturday, killing him on the spot. Kawnia police OC Rezaul Karim said that the victim, identified as ‘Oci Koniyo’, was a tourist. He said the Japanese man was shot thrice by the two men on the motorcycle. “Koniyo was walking when the assailants riding a motorcycle fired at him. He was shot in the chest, shoulder and hand.” The murder comes within five days of a similar killing of an Italian citizen in Dhaka. Aid worker Cesare Tavella was shot thrice while jogging at Gulshan diplomatic zone on Sep 28 by assailants riding a motorbike. He died later in a hospital. Tavella’s killing happened after an alert issued to its citizens by the UK and Australia advised caution, limit movements and avoid public places. The US also issued an alert after the Italian aid worker’s murder. Police are yet to arrest anyone over Tavella’s killing. Militant outfit Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for Tavella’s murder but Bangladesh and Indian intelligence doubted the group’s direct involvement with the killing. Indian intelligence, however, did not rule out the IS using ‘local sympathisers’ to pull off the murderous attack. –bdnews24.com
