Facing security threat,Shahbagh leaders allege ‘smear campaign’

'We are being punished twice,' says slain blogger's family

After the February 15 killing of Ahmed Rajib Haider,one of the Shahbagh Square leaders who was stabbed to death while he was returning home from the protest site at about 9 pm,Bangladesh security agencies have issued alerts to at least 15 Prajonmo (new generation) leaders who have been spearheading the movement against war criminals. The leaders have all been given security cover.

Meanwhile,the inquiry into Rajibs death has not made much headway. The killers were masked and could have been hired for the job,say locals.

The needle of suspicion points to fundamental Islamist groups,as an online campaign tried to justify the killing by saying the victim an avid blogger was posting anti-Islam writings.

Story continues below this ad

We are being punished twice. First we lost our son. Now comes the accusation that he was an anti-Islam blogger. But he had never written anything sacrilegious, says Khurram Haider,the victims uncle.

The nameplate outside the house reads,Mrs Nargis Haider,Rajibs mother. But she is not at home. Most of the family members are staying in their countryside home at Kapasia,in Gazipur.

Khurram lives just a few yards away from Rajibs deserted house,where about half-a-dozen policemen from the local police station are on round-the-clock vigil.

Inside Rajibs room,a big poster of Sachin Tendulkar adorns the wall. A laptop was his 24-hour engagement. He would be glued to the screen,even while eating, says Khurram.

Story continues below this ad

In one corner,there are three empty bottles. Rajib used to store drinking water in these bottles as he did not like plastic bottles. But unfortunately,a story was spread that he used to drink liquor,which he did not, says Khurram.

A smear campaign is on in cyberspace to paint many of us as anti-Islam. The Jamaat and other Islamist groups have a large number of full-time online workers who are busy creating fake IDs and pages in our names,where they upload highly objectionable stuff to brand us as anti-Islam, says Khaledur Rahman Shakil,convenor,War Crime Trial Stage,and one of the key figures behind the Shahbagh Square movement.

Shakil,an online journalist and blogger,was also attacked in November 2011 by unidentified men. He is one of the 15 leaders who has been provided security.

In fact,the online smear campaign,allegedly launched by the Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist groups against the Shahbagh Square leaders,has reached such an extent that it even evoked a response from Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Addressing a programme in Rangamati yesterday,Hasina warned that any insult to the Prophet would not to tolerated. Appealing for restraint,she also warned that any group indulging in dirty politics by raising such issues would not be spared.

Story continues below this ad

Meanwhile,official sources said the new threat perception to the Shahbagh Square leaders are based on specific inputs. The police alert includes a warning about a possible suicide attack and use of chemicals.

Five killed in firing

DHAKA: At least five persons,

including a woman,were killed in police firing at Manikganj district,about 30 km from Dhaka,on

Sunday morning during a dawn-to-dusk hartal called by 12 Islamist organisations. Police resorted to firing when a group of pro-hartal supporters blocked the road. Another 20 persons were reported to have been injured in the firing. ENS