UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh as many countries of the world faced diverse security challenges domestically along with attacks on some freethinkers, foreigners and religious establishments that kept its foreign friends ‘worried’ most of the time in 2015.
The first three months of the year witnessed political violence during BNP’s political programmes while the last quarter of the year made the country’s people, including foreign friends, concerned over fear of violent extremism, militant attacks and subsequent attacks on religious establishments.
The country’s foreign friends continued expressing their concern over the attacks on bloggers and publishers of secular works, an alarming dimension to the country’s security situation. On February 26, Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American citizen, writer, and founder of the Mukto Mona blog, was murdered by a group of men wielding machetes as he was leaving a book fair during a visit to Dhaka. His widow, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, was also injured in the attack as she tried to help him.
On March 30, secular blogger Washiqur Rahman was killed by a group of men armed with machetes when he was leaving his house for work in Dhaka. On May 12, secular blogger Ananta Bijoy Das was murdered by masked men with machetes in the town of Sylhet on his way to his work. Das had applied for a Swedish visitors’ visa, but the government had turned down his visa request in April. On August 7, secular blogger Niloy Neel was hacked to death in his home in Dhaka.
On October 31, Faisal Arefin Dipan, a publisher of books including those written by Roy, was murdered by machete-wielding assailants in Dhaka. On the same day, another publisher, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, and two other writers were attacked and seriously wounded.
Militant groups are apparently reaching new heights with each targeted attack on different religious groups and security forces while the government drives against the troublemakers remained on round the year. Killings of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella and Japanese national Kunio Hoshi on September 28 and October 3 respectively made the foreign nationals ‘deeply worried’ that prompted the government to take tight security measures in the diplomatic zone in the capital and other parts of the country.
Diplomats from various countries stationed in Dhaka appreciated government efforts in ensuring the safety of foreign nationals here and sought continuation of the support. The country also witnessed the recovery of sophisticated arms, suicide blast at an Ahmadiyya mosque in Rajshahi, attack on Shia Ashura ritual in the capital with increased threats of militancy this year meaning every minority group in society has been targeted.
Bangladesh as many countries of the world faced diverse security challenges domestically along with attacks on some freethinkers, foreigners and religious establishments that kept its foreign friends ‘worried’ most of the time in 2015.
The first three months of the year witnessed political violence during BNP’s political programmes while the last quarter of the year made the country’s people, including foreign friends, concerned over fear of violent extremism, militant attacks and subsequent attacks on religious establishments.
The country’s foreign friends continued expressing their concern over the attacks on bloggers and publishers of secular works, an alarming dimension to the country’s security situation. On February 26, Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American citizen, writer, and founder of the Mukto Mona blog, was murdered by a group of men wielding machetes as he was leaving a book fair during a visit to Dhaka. His widow, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, was also injured in the attack as she tried to help him.
On March 30, secular blogger Washiqur Rahman was killed by a group of men armed with machetes when he was leaving his house for work in Dhaka. On May 12, secular blogger Ananta Bijoy Das was murdered by masked men with machetes in the town of Sylhet on his way to his work. Das had applied for a Swedish visitors’ visa, but the government had turned down his visa request in April. On August 7, secular blogger Niloy Neel was hacked to death in his home in Dhaka.
On October 31, Faisal Arefin Dipan, a publisher of books including those written by Roy, was murdered by machete-wielding assailants in Dhaka. On the same day, another publisher, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, and two other writers were attacked and seriously wounded.
Militant groups are apparently reaching new heights with each targeted attack on different religious groups and security forces while the government drives against the troublemakers remained on round the year. Killings of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella and Japanese national Kunio Hoshi on September 28 and October 3 respectively made the foreign nationals ‘deeply worried’ that prompted the government to take tight security measures in the diplomatic zone in the capital and other parts of the country.
Diplomats from various countries stationed in Dhaka appreciated government efforts in ensuring the safety of foreign nationals here and sought continuation of the support. The country also witnessed the recovery of sophisticated arms, suicide blast at an Ahmadiyya mosque in Rajshahi, attack on Shia Ashura ritual in the capital with increased threats of militancy this year meaning every minority group in society has been targeted.
