‘Secular’ blogger hacked to death in Sylhet

Terror outfit Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh claimed in a statement Tuesday that Das had been killed by al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The outfit also issued a warning of further attacks.

Bangladesh, Bangladesh blogger, Bangladesh blogger killed, Blogger killed, Bangla blogger death, Ananta Bijoy Das, World news

Relatives mourn at the Sylhet Hospital where Das’s body is kept.

In the third such attack on bloggers in Bangladesh this year, 33-year-old blogger Ananta Bijoy Das was hacked to death by a group of masked men in Sylhet city on his way to work at a bank on Tuesday morning.

Terror outfit Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh claimed in a statement Tuesday that Das had been killed by al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The outfit also issued a warning of further attacks.

“Alhamdulillah! We are happy to inform that brothers of al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent have sent one more anti-Islam atheistic blogger to hell. He was the admin of Mukto-mona, the hub of atheists. Using different names, he regularly mocked Allah and Islam,” the first part of the statement in Bengali read.

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The statement then referred to an AQIS statement in English which read — “We want to say to atheist bloggers! We don’t forget and we will NOT forget others who insult our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and All (S:)” The statement ended with the warning, “Another filed closed! Stay tuned for next target……”

Das was the editor of science magazine ‘Jukti’ (logic) and wrote for `Mukto-mona’ (free thinker), a website founded by US-based blogger Avijit Roy that opposed fundamentalism ad promoted rationalism.

Roy was himself hacked to death on a Dhaka street in February while returning from a book fair with his wife. Washiqur Rehman, a secular blogger who had expressed outrage over Roy’s murder, was killed in a similar manner in Dhaka on March 30.

Six days ago, Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh had issued the warning “We DON’T forget and InshaAllah We will NOT forget others. Next target is Loading…..Stay tuned!!”

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The Indian Express had earlier reported that Asim Umar, the Indian-born head of AQIS had claimed responsibility for a string of attacks that killed secular writers and intellectuals in Bangladesh and Pakistan, including of Roy.

Who is Das?

Editor of science magazine Jukti (logic)

Blogger for Mukto-Mona (free thinker), a website founded by slain US blogger Avijit Roy that opposed fundamentalism

Award winner Dash received the Mukto-Mona Rationalist Award in 2006.

Rationalist

Through his personal initiative, he formed a Science & Rationalist Council in Sylhet, Bangladesh, thus bringing together all like minded friends.

Author

Das has authored several books including Parthib, 2001, Darwin: Ekhush Shatake Prasongikota Ebong Bhabna, and Soviet Union-E Bigyan O Biplob: Lisenko Odday

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