Police yesterday arrested three people in connection with their alleged involvement in the killing of a Buddhist monk in Naikkhangchhari upazila of Bandarban.

The arrestees are Abdur Rahim, 25, Mohammad Zia, 26, and Sa Mong Chak, 35.

During drives, police caught Rahim and Zia at Tadangkhali Para and Titar Para and Sa Mong at Upor Chak Para under Baishari union around 3:30am yesterday, said Abul Khair, officer-in-charge of Naikkhangchhari Police Station.

The OC said the trio were nabbed due to their suspicious movement around the Kyang (temple) where the body of 73-year-old monk U Damma Oaing Cha was found early Saturday morning.

Rahim and Zia belong to the Rohingya community, said police.

Meanwhile, the Buddhist community in Bandarban yesterday staged a demonstration in the town, demanding immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killer(s).

They also criticised Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for his comments that the killing was a “stray incident”.

The monk who dedicated himself to the path of spiritualism a couple of years ago was found dead, with his throat slit, inside Chak Nirvana Bouddha Kyang, about 250 yards from his village Upor Chak Para.

His previous name was Shwe U Chak.

His daughter-in-law, Manu Ching, found him when she went to serve food there around 5:00am.

The victim's son, Aung Sa Thoai Chak, filed a murder case accusing unnamed people with Naikkhangchhari Police Station on Saturday evening.

Mong Mong Chak, a leader of Chak community, addressing a rally in Bandarban town yesterday. The programme was organised demanding a fair investigation into the murder of Buddhist monk U Damma Oaing Cha Bhikkhu and exemplary punishment for the killer(s). Photo: Star

Police were yet to ascertain the motive behind the killing, which resembles recent murders of people of different faiths and ideologies.

Investigators said they were probing the incident keeping in mind possible militant links, among other things.

Mizanur Rahman, superintendent of Bandarban police, yesterday said they would be able to unearth the motive soon.

Locals said the monk had no enmity with anyone and that he used to meditate most of the day.

U Pannya Jota Mahathero of Bandarban Golden Temple during a demonstration in the town yesterday said they were deeply shocked at the home minister's remarks.

“The minister should be more sincere while making comments over the heinous killing,” he said.

The remarks hurt the bereaved family members of the deceased monk and the Buddhist community, Pannya added.

Emerging from a programme in Rajshahi on Saturday, the home boss told reporters, “It's [the killing] a stray incident. Relatives might have been involved in it.”

Meanwhile, rights body Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) in a statement yesterday condemned the killing of the Buddhist monk and other people belonging to different faiths and demanded justice for the deaths.

“The recurrence of the incidents proves that brutal killings of people have not stopped and the state has failed to ensure justice to the previous incidents,” reads the statement.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad in a separate statement also condemned the killing.

DEMAND FOR WITHDRAWAL OF HOME MINISTER'S COMMENT

Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhikkhu Mahasabha Secretary General Bhadanta S Lokjit Ther yesterday demanded withdrawal of the home minster's comment by next Baishakhi Purnima (May 21).

Addressing a human chain in Chittagong city protesting the murder of the monk, he said, “We do not accept the home minister's comment on the murder. It must be withdrawn by May 21”.

Otherwise, Lokjit said, they would wage a movement demanding the resignation of the minister.