Kibria's killing has been a blot on the image of our nation. He was one of our more accomplished politicians with the potential to serve the nation in even higher position of responsibility. While the family has suffered a personal loss, the entire nation has been deprived of his immense potential.

The case is pending because of an appeal in the higher court by the plaintiff to stop the lower court trial proceedings on the ground that the circumstances of his killing had not been properly investigated. And that is what begs the question. We are distressed at the repugnant political culture of giving a short shrift to cases related to those belonging to the opposition political camp.

While we would not like to impute ulterior motives to any political party, but that the investigation into the killing of a high profile person like that of Kibria has been done in a manner that has given rise to misgivings in the minds of the members of the family, cannot be in question. Such political murders, whose investigations are alleged to be faulty, that leave the main culprit go free, will set dangerous precedents in the future conduct of political opponents. This will also reinforce the notion of the culture of impunity in our country.

We call upon the caretaker government to order a reinvestigation into the killing since one cannot rule out the possibility of political consideration having influenced the course of the previous investigation and its ultimate findings.

Not only does the Kibria family deserve a free and fair trial, the principle of justice requires that all the culprits associated with the heinous crime must be unearthed and brought to justice, which can be done only through an unbiased investigation. This must be done to save the country's politics sinking further into the mire.