The killing of Bangladeshi blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider has sparked an uproar online among netizens who have mobilised around the hashtag #Shahbag. The hashtag refers to Shahbag square, where thousands of people have rallied since February 5 over a recent war crimes trial verdict.
Haider is believed to have been active with protesters who are demanding the death sentence for an opposition Jamaat-e-Islami party leader found guilty of war crimes.
According to local newspaper bdnews24.com, police found Haider on Friday with a scarf wrapped around his throat. Several unconfirmed sources claimed he was dismembered.
Others, who referred to Haider using his online alias Thaba Baba, urged netizens not to jump to conclusions.
Several tweets alluded to Haider’s criticism of Jamaat-e-Islami as the reason why he was targeted.
Netizens are also circulating the image below – a screenshot of a Jamaat-linked blog that shows a list of key Shahbag protesters. Haider’s name and Facebook profile were on the list, which has since been deleted.
Many tweeted their condolences, sharing memories and images of Haider.
Source: Al Jazeera
