A Japanese national shot dead in an attack claimed by the Islamic State militant group in Bangladesh was given a Muslim burial today after it was found that the 66-year-old farmer had converted to Islam.
Kunio Hoshi, the second foreigner killed within five days of the murder of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in Bangladesh, was buried at a graveyard in the wee hours in the northern city of Rangpur.
The local administration said his burial was completed in keeping with the Japanese embassy's request.
"He had converted to Islam. That's why the Japanese embassy requested the Home Ministry to bury him in Rangpur," Deputy Commissioner Rahat Anwar told bdnews24 online.
The burial was initiated after the Home Ministry's instruction yesterday, he added.
"The funeral and burial was held according to Islamic rituals," said Additional Magistrate Talukder.
The local administration maintained absolute secrecy until this afternoon over the burial, the report said.
Hoshi, who had come to Bangladesh in May, was gunned down on October 3 in Rangpur. He had set up a grass farm on the outskirts of Rangpur.
Locals said Hoshi had converted to Islam three months ago.
His murder came five days after 50-year-old Italian aid worker Tavella was shot dead by motorbike-born militants in Dhaka's upmarket diplomatic area.
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both the killings. Experts, however, are skeptic about the claim.
Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority country, has been rocked by gruesome murders of atheist bloggers this year. The attacks have sparked a crackdown on hardline Islamist groups.
Police have detained six persons, including a former Opposition BNP leader, over Hoshi's murder. Though, the law enforcers are yet find any concrete lead to nab the killers or figure out the motive behind the murder.
