Bangladesh - Another blogger

Freedom of expression suffered yet another deathly blow on Tuesday when Bangladeshi blogger Ananta Bijoy Das was hacked to death on his way to work on the streets of the northeastern city of Sylhet. Four masked men came at him with cleavers and machetes, their signature weapons in their war against secular opinion. Ananta Das was a secular blogger who contributed to Mukto Mona (free thinkers), a blog founded by another secular blogger, Avijit Roy, who was murdered in the same manner in February on the streets of Dhaka. His wife was also attacked but she survived the horrific ordeal. In March, Washiqur Rahman was also hacked to death by those who cannot bear anyone taking down their draconian, oppressive version of religion. These Islamists — the people behind the deaths of these three bloggers in almost as many months — have made it their agenda to go after anyone championing the liberal cause, doing it so savagely and brutally that one is left numb by the butchery these beasts are perpetrating in the name of Islam.

With so many free thinkers being murdered in such a grisly manner, one would think that the government in Bangladesh would be on its toes trying to bring to justice those who commit daylight atrocities such as these. However, it seems people like Bangladeshi Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina are averse to sticking their necks out for people of principle because these rabid Islamists might just come after them (according to reports, Sheikh Hasina’s son was assailed by folk in the US wanting to know why nothing is being done to protect Bangladeshi intellectuals, and he cited fear of Islamist repercussions as the reason). This will not do; if the government is unable to protect its citizens who are being killed with impunity, it has no right being in power.

The entire Muslim world is in turmoil when it comes to accepting rationality and opinions based on science, logic and secularism. Those who have hijacked Islam have made all Muslim countries convulse with the kind of terrorism that leaves society devoid of its thinkers, poets, writers and opinion-makers. Bangladesh is not alone in this malaise but the kind of savagery on display is on a whole different level. Governments and people need to come together in solidarity and confront this monster whilst there are still some moderate and sane voices left. Otherwise there will be no one left to question the validity of these Islamists and their doctrine of hate and bloodshed.