Police officials in Bangladesh said religious extremists were behind the recent killing of secular blogger Avijit Roy, while confirming that they would soon arrest over ten people who had earlier threatened Roy on social media. On February 8, Joint Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Monirul Islam, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which offered to help Bangladeshi officials in investigating Roy’s gruesome death, also believe religious fundamentalists are responsible for the planned attack.
“We've a list of ten people and we are planning to arrest them,” he said.
Roy, 42, who was working as a bio-engineer in Atlanta, was attacked along with his wife Rafida Ahmed Banna inside Dhaka University on February 26 while on their way home from a book fair. Unidentified assailants carrying machetes attempted to hack to death both husband and wife. Roy lost his life almost immediately after the attack while Banna suffered injuries to her head and lost one of her thumbs as well.
“He died as he was brought to the hospital. His wife was also seriously wounded. She has lost a finger,” local police chief Sirajul Islam said.
Reportedly, the couple was on a bicycle rickshaw when two assailants stopped them and dragged them to the pavement, before striking them with their weapons. Banna has been flown back to America for her treatment. She said both she and her husband had received threats from several hardliners for their secular views.
Among the shortlisted suspects, Shafiur Rahman Farabi, who is notorious for preaching religious extremism on social media, was arrested four days after Roy’s death. The police raided his home in Sylhet, from where a computer and some documents were confiscated. Farabi has been arrested many times in the past for his ties with the extremist group Hizbut Tahrir Islamist.
While the FBI is not directly participating in investigating Roy’s death, it is offering technical assistance to Bangladeshi officials round the clock.
“They haven't recommended arresting anyone yet,” Islam said, adding police would arrest suspects based on the FBI's suggestion. “They said the killing appears to have been carried out by extremist groups.”
Following Roy’s death, hundreds of protesters organized a rally in the capital city of Dhaka to condemn the heinous murder and seek justice against militancy threats that have been long prevailing in Bangladesh.
Imran Sarker, head of Bangladesh Bloggers’ Association, said the demonstrations would continue until those guilty were punished.
“Avijit’s killing once again proved that there is a culture of impunity in the country,” Sarker said. “The government must arrest the killers in 24 hours or face non-stop protests.”
In Bangladesh, hardliners have long demanded the public execution of atheist bloggers and sought legislation to better deal with writings critical of Islam.
Roy’s father said the writer, a citizen of the United States, had received many threatening emails and messages on social media from hardliners who were unhappy with his work.
“He was a secular humanist and had written about 10 books,” said Ajoy Roy. “His most famous work was Biswasher Virus (Virus of Faith).”
Bangladesh is the fourth largest Muslim-majority nation in the world. Muslims comprise 90 percent of the country’s 160 million population.
Photo Credits: The Daily Mail
