The United States, European Union and France have strongly condemned the gruesome killing of Rajshahi University teacher Prof AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee.US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Bernicat, European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon and French Ambassador Sophie Aubert condemned the incident through separate messages.“We condemn the sense-less killing of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddiquee and mourn his loss,” said Marcia Bernicat in her statement yesterday.“I have spoken with people who knew him well, and have learned about a humble, cultured man who loved the sitar and provided donations to local mosques.  No claims made by violent extrem-ists will overshadow his legacy,” said the statement. Once again, we urge the Government of Bangladesh to condemn these murders and apprehend the perpetrators behind this and other attacks motivated by intolerance and hatred, read the statement.Meanwhile, European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon hoped that a thorough investigation will bring the insti-gators and perpetrators of this crime to justice.“Killings of academicians and intellectuals are irreparable losses to any society as a whole,” he said in a statement. Mayaudon said the initial findings indicate that the crime was conducted by fanatics. “Should it be confirmed, this would be yet another terror attack in Bangladesh in a short period of time.”He said it is comforting that students quickly expressed their rejection of this sickening aggression. Ambassador Mayaudon conveyed his condolences to the family of Rezaul Karim.In a statement yesterday, France Ambassador in Dhaka Sophie Aubert also condemned the heinous murder of Prof Rezaul Karim in Rajshahi. The Ambassador called for quick investigation into the murder and punishment of the culprits. "This murder is a direct attack on intelligence, culture and spirit of generosity, which were what Professor Karim was representing," the statement added.Meanwhile, the case, filed over the killing of professor AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee has been transferred to the Detective Branch (DB) of police. Tamijuddin Sarder, additional commis-sioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, said the case was trans-ferred to the DB police from Boalia Police yesterday for a thorough investigation. Police in a drive on Saturday night arrested a youth from the city suspecting his involvement in the killing of Prof Rezaul Karim but his name was not disclosed for the sake of investiga-tion, said the official.  The suspect was taken to the DB office for interrogation, said Tamijuddin.Meanwhile, noting that an evil culture of shouldering respon-sibility for any incident like killing and attack has developed in the country, a senior DMP official yesterday dismissed the IS claim of killing Prof AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee of Rajshahi University as baseless. “The IS claim of killing the RU teacher is totally base-less. It seems the IS will claim the responsibility after any kind of killing and even crude bomb explosions in the future as there’s no need of any evidence for such claim,” said Additional DMP Commissioner Monirul Islam.Monirul, also chief of the DMP Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC), came up with the remarks when his attention was drawn to the reported claim of militant group Islamic State that it carried out the attack on the RU teacher.Prof Rezaul Karim Siddique was killed by miscreants in the Rajshahicity's Shalbagan area on Saturday morning while he was waiting for a university bus.Briefing reporters at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media Centre, Monirul said a number of killers were earlier arrested in connec-tion with such killing incidents for which the IS claimed the respon-sibility. “They made their confessional statements before the court but no one of them revealed that they were involved with the IS or any other militant group,” he added. The CTTC chief also reit-erated that there is no existence of IS in Bangladesh.The IS claimed responsibility for Prof Rezaul’s killing, accord-ing to US-based SITE Intelligence Group.Meanwhile, teachers of Rajshahi University is observing a two-day class boycott programme protesting the killing of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique of the English department of university.The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of Rajshahi University Teacher Association (RUTA) at Juberi Bhaban of the university on Saturday, said RUTA general secretary MD Shah Alam Shantunu.The teachers also brought out a protest procession and formed a human chain in front of Senate Bhaban of the university from 10:30am to  11:30am.They will also hold a rally in Saheb Bazar Zero Point area of the city around 5pm, added the general secretary.