Another RU teacher victim of the assassins

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the killing of yet another teacher of Rajshahi University. Prof. Karim is the latest name to be added to the list of teachers of the university targeted by a particular group, he being the fourth faculty member of the university to die at the hands of the killers since 2004, and the second in less than two years.

It is difficult to ascertain the motive of the killers of a man who, going by the reports in the media, had no enemies; and if that be the case, who killed him and why? And there is a pattern that is patently obvious in the killings. He seems to have been a dilettante with a predisposition for music as were some of the others who were killed before him. 

And if there is a pattern in the killings then there has to be some person or groups that are going after teachers like Prof. Karim. The modus operandi suggests that the latest killing and the killers could be linked to some of the recent killings in the country. But that is subject to detail investigation, and, it is the quality of investigation of the previous murders of RU teachers and the conduct of the cases that have left much to be desired. Obviously, there were lacunae in gathering evidence that had resulted in weakening of the cases and eventual exculpation or remission in sentence of some of the accused.  

We do not think the killing is an isolated incident. The investigating agencies should avoid red herrings and get to the people behind the dastardly killings. The prevailing sense of unease cannot be allowed to linger.