It was the fourth such killing of a secular blogger this year.
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HRW also criticised the national police chief A.K.M. Shahidul Hoque after he warned bloggers could face up to 14 years in jail for hurting religious sentiments. “The government should recall that its duty is to uphold the Constitution and protect people’s lives, as well as their religious freedom”. “Anything that may hurt anyone’s religious sentiments or beliefs should not be written”, he said.
Ansar-al-Islam, an Islamist group, believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent by intelligence officials, reportedly claimed responsibility of the killing in an email to media organizations hours after Neel’s death, calling the blogger an enemy of “Allah”. Neel’s wife, Asha Moni, has reportedly filed a murder case against four unnamed people.
Niloy Neel was attacked in his home in the capital, Dhaka, by machete-wielding assailants who inflicted fatal stab injuries. He said he was not against Islam and refused to be intimidated. “Sadly, the government is indirectly encouraging religious fanatics instead of cracking down of them”, he added.
“This barbaric assault on an outspoken member of the blogger community is the latest attack on the freedom of expression in Bangladesh”. “Instead of trying to appease the attackers, it’s time for her government to state that those who plan, incite, order, and carry out acts of violence will be prosecuted”.
Police said they did not know who was behind the threat but were taking it seriously, and the country’s elite security force was investigating. It’s about more than just bloggers generally against Islamic extremism, though those targeted were mostly secular Hindus and Muslims. “This creates a general atmosphere of fear amongst the liberal minds in Bangladesh“.
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Chatterjee focused his writing on human rights, minorities and a war crimes tribunal set up to punish those who allegedly collaborated with Pakistani soldiers during Bangladesh’s war of independence from Pakistan decades ago. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu yesterday said the blogger killings had political motive behind them.
