Apurbo Ahmed Jewel: In Bangladesh, from 2013 until now, a total of 5 bloggers have been killed due to their writings. In a series of incidents where bloggers are killed one after another in Bangladesh, international concerns have been raised. However, the country’s government does not seem particularly concerned about it. Rather than focusing on apprehending the killers, the government pays more attention to the writings of bloggers, as stated by the Home Minister.
2015 was the year of blogger killings. Through the sleeper cell of the Islamic militant organization Ansarullah Bangla Team, several independent-thinking bloggers were ruthlessly murdered one after another in that year. At that time, the government in this country was not only silent about the killings of bloggers but indirectly encouraged Islamist killers, suggesting that they wouldn’t face consequences for targeting atheist bloggers.
After each blogger killing, the international community has strongly condemned the incidents, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government has promised to find and bring the killers to justice. However, these promises seem to be just words.
After each blogger killing, the Awami League government failed to take effective measures to prevent further attacks. Politically, it is difficult for them to take a strong stance against the radical Islamists, leading to allegations against the government from the international community. With each blogger’s murder, there has been a sharp condemnation and protest at the international level, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s secular government has failed to address the issue with the seriousness it deserves.
The year 2015 saw the brutal murder of bloggers who dared to express their thoughts. I believe that the government played a role indirectly. Assuming that the government had no knowledge of the whereabouts of these extremists, it is clear that the extremists knew the location of bloggers and carried out their murders. The question arises: What is the role of our police and intelligence agencies? What are they doing? If they cannot plan to counter the killing of bloggers by Islamic extremists, then why provide them with a large salary from the state? When there was a plan by Islamist extremists to attack in a big way, they gathered in Kalyanpur, Dhaka, the police forces of the country suppressed them with force.
The killing of a blogger means that the Awami League government will attract the attention of devout Muslims more towards their party. It will instill more fear among the Muslim population. The Awami League government’s inclination towards the support of religious Muslims in the country will become clearer through the drama of killing bloggers. It will play the political game by brutally attacking the name of Hindu youth. Then, it will burn the homes of some minority people and create a crematorium. This is a political game. Extreme violence is necessary for political power, even if it comes from a non-party.
The Awami League government, through sleeper cells, will direct the killing of bloggers to turn the attention of devout Muslims towards their party. Alongside, the repression of minority populations will increase. In the past few days, a Bangladeshi jihadist has been arrested by the Kolkata Police in India, who has confessed his involvement in the series of these murder incidents. This is a very alarming situation. Now, it is clear that the Awami League government is directly involved in the killings of bloggers through Ansar Bangla or Ansar al-Islam.
The recent killing of blogger Niloy Neel marks the 5th incident of blogger murder in Bangladesh. This series of killings continues with the same modus operandi of attacking bloggers. The responsibility for all these murders has been claimed by Ansar Bangla or Ansar al-Islam.
Editor and Publisher: Apurbo Ahmed Jewel (Dainik Aloron).”
