HRW: Free speech under attack in Bangladesh

Free speech in Bangladesh is under attack as never before, Human Rights Watch has claimed.

Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director of the US-based rights organisation, made the statement yesterday.

“Free speech in Bangladesh is under attack as never before, held hostage between angry, machete-wielding radicals on one hand and a government, quick to take offence, on the other.”

Four bloggers have been murdered this year by religious extremists for promoting secularism, a principle which these groups consider to be anti-Islam.

In the statement, Ganguly said: “A reasonable government would have swiftly condemned these murders, and tried to hunt down the attackers.”

But she expressed wonder mentioning: “Instead the police’s first instinct was to urge self-censorship, with Bangladesh’s inspector general of police, AKM Shahidul Hoque, warning that hurting religious sentiments is a crime.”

While police were aware of threats to Niloy Neel and the other slain bloggers, they failed to properly protect them, she said.

It took more than a week for police to arrest three suspects in Niloy Neel’s murder, despite the alleged perpetrators’ identities being known to the police.

After the killing of blogger Niloy earlier this month, Ansar Al Islam, an insurgent group linked to Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility, saying they had the “permission of Allah” and warning of further attacks.

Ganguly said the police chief’s comments were shocking, but not surprising, because Bangladeshi authorities are increasingly cracking down on freedom of expression.

Source: Dhaka Tribune