DHAKA, Bangladesh — An unknown representative of ethnic Rohingya refugees was killed by international gunmen in Bangladesh on Wednesday night, police said.
Mohibullah, who is in his 40 s, was a teacher who emerged as a key refugee leader and a speaker representing Muslim ethnic group in international meetings. He visited the White House for a meeting with then-President Donald Trump on religious freedom in 2019 and spoke about the suffering and persecution faced by Rohingya in Myanmar.
In that same year, he was bitterly criticized by Bangladeshi media after he led a massive rally of 200,000 refugees to mark the second anniversary of the crackdown by Myanmar s military who caused about 700,000 Rohingya, including Mohibullah, to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.
The unidentified attackers shot Mohibullah at the Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Ukhiya in Cox'Bazar district, said Naimul Haque, commander of the Armed Police Battalion in Cox s Bazar district. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.
No groups claimed responsibility and it was not immediately clear who was behind the attack.
Human Rights Watch called Mohibullah a vital voice for the Rohingya community. He always defended the rights of the Rohingya to safe and dignified returns and to have a say in the decisions about their lives and future. His killing is a stark demonstration of the risks faced by those in the camps who speak out against violence and for freedom, Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia rights group director, said in a statement.
Mohibullah s death undermines not only the struggle of Rohingya refugees for greater rights and protection in the refugee camps, but also their efforts to safely return to their homes in Myanmar. Bangladesh authorities should urgently investigate Mohibullah's killing along with other attacks on Rohingya activists in the camps, she said.
Amnesty International urged the Bangladeshi authorities and the U.N. to submit again. Refugee Agency to work together to ensure the protection of people in camp, including refugees, activists and humanitarian workers from both Rohingya and local community, many of whom have shared concerns about their safety.
His killing sends a chilling effect across the entire community, said Saad Hammadi, Amnesty International's South Asia Campaigner.
As a result of previous wars and persecution, Bangladesh has been sheltering over 1.1 million refugee from Myanmar.