The circle of targets for Bangladeshi extremists keeps widening, writes Washington Post.
Up until last year, the US newspaper observes, their gruesome attacks seemed focused on secular bloggers who had spoken out against Islam.
Recently, however, numerous academics, publishers, activists, foreign workers and non-Muslims have been hacked or fatally shot for allegedly insulting Islam, the Post points out.
The police have clearly struggled to stem the wave of violence, said the newspaper in a report titled “Killing of senior police officer’s wife marks a brutal turning point in Bangladesh” published on Sunday, the day suspected extremists killed Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, 30, the wife of the police superintendent.
Her husband, Babul Akter, was recently promoted to his new role after leading a slew of raids against banned Islamist extremist groups, such as Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh.
Police officials told the Associated Press that they couldn’t rule out that members of any of the groups Akter had fought against had carried out the killing.
Also on Sunday, a 60-year-old Christian man, identified as Sunil Gomes, was hacked to death in Natore and the Islamic State’s news agency, Amaq, reportedly claimed responsibility for his death.
“Bangladesh has been shaken by increasing religious tension as extremist groups gain sway,” said Washington Post. Besides the spate of attacks on individuals, it added, extremist groups have bombed Shiite shrines in a characteristic attempt to foment sectarian violence.
Washington Post said a debate over whether Bangladesh should have a secular or Islamic government has defined the country’s politics since its birth after an independence war against Pakistan in 1971.
The current government is secular.
But although prime minister Sheikh Hasina has asserted her commitment to secular values, she has been hesitant to speak out in support of the secular and atheist bloggers killed or injured in attacks, the newspaper pointed out.
In an interview with Time magazine in 2015, she said, “Personally, I don’t support it, I don’t accept it. Why not? You have to have your faith. If anybody thinks they have no religion, okay, it’s their personal view. … But they have no right to write or speak against any religion.”
Source: Prothom Alo
Killing defence less wife of an active senior police officer is what kind of revange? Who did what,where and when should not have to exchage with a free sprited life.
All murders are crminal acts and should be condemned accordingly, without any qualms and dithering and perpetrators of such acts must be brought to justice, full stop. But unfortunately, in Bangladesh these days murders are selectively condemned. For example, enforced disappearences, extra-judical killings of opposition activists and leaders etc. that are occurring on a daily basis are neither reported nor with much enthusiam nor are condemned forthright nor do anyone demanda proper probe and justice for these murderous and criminal acts. This is unfortunate and this indeed is a sign that the country is going through a period of fascist lawlessness. Recently, the PM claimed that she has head of the government knows who the murderers are. This is helpful. I hope she would soon divulge to the police the names of murderers that killed Sagar/Runi and numerous others including Tonu’s!
In today’s Bangladesh, brothers are killing brothers and sisters, for whom? Isn’t the continuation of the blueprint which explicitly started at Pil Khana in 2009?
Who are behind killings of innocent people? Who are behind initiating a civil war in Bangladesh? Who are behind killing democracy in Bangladesh? Who blocked the natural flow of rivers in Bangladesh? Who are capturing jobs and markets of Bangladeshis? Who successfully and sharply divided the nation in two fighting groups for deadly consequences?
Wake up people of 1971! Please unite and protect your motherland.
I had a dream recently where people of Bangladesh were rejoicing on army officers’ coup ousting Hasina but it was short lived. What followed was the death sentences of top political leaders including Kheleda and Hasina but Indian army didn’t have to march in.
A note of caution for BNP. India, Israel and US might be jointly involved to transform Bangladesh into a failed state. Rely on the amazing people of Bangladesh, not foreign powers.