Minorities announce road blockade for April 7

Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Oikya Parishad has announced a daylong road blockade programme for Saturday demanding the law enforcers take quick steps to trace out missing Public Prosecutor Rathis Chandra Bhowmik, a witness in a war crimes case, reports bdnews24.com.

Along with Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, the minority group has been holding token hunger strikes in Rangpur since Monday morning.

"The highway in Rangpur will be blocked on Saturday if he is not rescued by the time," said Banamali Paul, president of the Oikya Parishad's Rangpur chapter, during Tuesday's demonstration.

Advocate Rathis (55), who represented the state in the cases over the killings of Japanese national Kunio Hoshi and Rahmat Ali, a caretaker of a shrine, went missing on Friday, according to a general diary or GD filed by his family.

Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of police in Rangpur, said they were investigating all possible aspects in the case, including land dispute, militancy and the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Police already arrested nine suspects and continued grilling them in custody over the disappearance of Bhowmik.