Four held in Bangladesh over Italian aid worker murder

The IS reportedly claimed responsibility for the murders of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in Dhaka’s diplomatic zone on September 28 and Japanese national Kunio Hoshi in Rangpur on October 3.

It was the first time IS had claimed an attack in Bangladesh, where it has not yet announced a branch.

The killings spooked the country’s expatriate community and threatened to its fragile economy, which is heavily reliant on foreign aid and a $25 billion garment industry supplying clothing for worldwide brands.

The government responded by denying the extremist group was active in Bangladesh and instead rounded up dozens of prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s opponents.

A US State Department spokesperson has said the USA is not certain about the presence of Islamic State in Bangladesh. “Islamic State” (IS) claimed responsibility for the murder, but Dhaka has rejected that claim.

The police did not release information on the identity of the “big brother”.

Asaduzzaman Mia told journalists at a press briefing Monday afternoon that the professional killers committed the murder in exchange for money being hired by someone whom he termed “a so-called big brother”.

“The motorbike owner is one of the four who has been arrested today”, a police officer said.

The attackers allegedly targeted Mr. Tavella because he was white and the suspects were promised payment for the attack, Mr. Mia said. “Tavella was not their specific target, he just became a victim being a white”, Mia said. “We need to interrogate them more, with permission from court”.

Assaults on foreigners are uncommon, correspondents say, but Islamist violence has soared lately, including high profile assaults on bloggers that are atheist.

She has overseen the arrest of many militants and the banning of several groups. The attacks have sparked a crackdown on hardline Islamist groups.

Bangladeshi Police Chief AKM Shahidul Huq Saturday said vested interest groups, which are against the trials of war criminals in the country, may have launched the attack to create instability.