An installation art show has begun in New York’s Jackson Heights, demanding exemplary punishment of those behind the killing of writer-blogger Avijit Roy.
Roy, a US citizen, was hacked to death in Dhaka on Feb 26.
The North America wing of the Sammilita Sangskritik Jote organised the programme launched on Thursday evening.
Speakers at the inauguration offered proposals on ways to combat religious fanaticism and the rise of anti-liberation forces.
They also called for steps to create public awareness in cities having significant Bangladeshi populations.
Mithun Ahmed, chief of the host organisation, said, “The scope of free thoughts and thinking in Bangladesh is getting constricted day by day.
“People fed up of murder, repression, violence and militancy are consistently seeking justice.
“But we find trials in such murders cases are not progressing or the judicial system is not functioning. On the other hand, we are seeing a gradual increase in such violence, brutality, religious fanaticism, extremism and militancy.”
He added, “Only protests, opposition or call for justice will not work in such circumstances,” and suggested that the reasons behind such fundamentalist resurgence be identified and the people made aware.
He said development would be hampered unless freedom, the rights of free thinkers, and the flourishing of scientific thinking were guaranteed.
For that, he said, it was necessary to get rid of religious fanaticism and superstition from Bangladesh society and the neighbourhood.
Avijit, founder of the blog Mukto-mona (Free thinking) was hacked to death by unknown assailants near Dhaka University’s TSC.
The attack in many ways resembled the one on writer Humayun Azad in 2004 and blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider in 2013.
The investigators suspect the involvement of religious extremists in the crime.
The participants of the programme also called for a speedy trial of those who had killed writers and bloggers before targeting Avijit.
Seven anti-communalist books were unveiled at the programme with excerpts being read from each.
A poster drawing session was also held, calling for an end to religious fanaticism, superstition, and militancy.
The works were put on display. The installation itself consisted of seven pillars.
Human chains and various programmes were held in New York, Atlanta, California, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Texas and Washington to protest Avijit Roy’s killing.
Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative at the UN, AK Abdul Momen, his wife Selina Momen, Dr. Pradip Kar and other writers, artists and professionals were present at the programme.
Meanwhile, on Saturday and Sunday, two meets of expatriate Bangladeshi’s are scheduled in Washington DC and New York to press for a speedy trial of Avijit Roy’s murderers.
Source: Bd news24