Bangladeshis in huge numbers paid tributes to slain American blogger Avijit Roy on Sunday as they criticised the Government for its failure to ensure safety to the writer, known for his critique of religious extremism.
People from all walks of life, including Roy’s friends, relatives, well-wishers, teachers and students, gathered at the Dhaka University premises with flowers to pay their respect to the slain writer, who was on a visit to his native city in mid-February to attend a book fair.
Roy, known for his critique of religious extremism, was hacked to death in the university area by machete-wielding assailants, who attacked the Bangladeshi-origin writer as he was returning from the book fair with his wife on Thursday.
The coffin containing his remains was taken from the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) mortuary and placed on a platform erected at the university’s premises.
After paying their tributes, Kabir, expressed indignation over the Government’s “failure to ensure the safety of the Bangladesh-born US-based bioengineer”, reported bdnews24 for which Roy used to write columns regularly.
“Free thinking in Bangladesh is become a great danger, all the free thinkers are at great risk,” writer-journalist Shahriar Kabir, a friend of Roy’s father, said.
Dhaka to seek FBI's help in Avijit Roy murder probe
Dhaka: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Sunday said it has decided to take help of the US' FBI in the probe into Roy's murder following Washington's offer. Ali conveyed the decision to a group of Dhaka-based diplomats including those of the US, while briefing them on the ongoing political situation.