A Bangladesh publisher who worked with atheist writers was hacked to death in the capital Dhaka today, just hours after two secular bloggers and another publisher were attacked in a separate incident.
“Ansar-Al-Islam”, which declared it as the “Bangladesh branch” of Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of secular blogger Faisal Arefin Dipan, on Saturday.
The authenticity of the group’s claims was yet to be confirmed
Faisal Arefin Dipan was murdered at his office in central Dhaka, Imran Sarker, who heads a secular bloggers group, told AFP. “He was hacked to death. I saw him dead,” he said.
Police confirmed that Mr Dipan was seriously injured in the attack and was brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
“They still have not declared whether he is dead,” said police inspector Mozammel Haq.
Mr Dipan is the son of a noted Bangladesh writer Abul Kashem Fazlul Haq and owns Jagritee Publishers.