Al-Qaeda claims responsibility of fatal attack on two secular publishers in Bangladesh; threatens to kill more

Transnational terror outfits have alarmingly increased their influence in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Nov 1: Transnational terror outfit Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility of the scathing attack on two secular publishers in Bangladesh, resulting in the death of one. The Islamic extremist outfit has also warned to kill more number of bloggers, writers, poets, academicians and media personnel who commit blasphemous acts.

The claims were made by Al Qaeda on late Saturday night. Faisal Arefin Dipan and Ahmed Rahim Tutul were assaulted in broad daylight yesterday in Shudhashar publishing house in the national capital. While Dipan succumbed to his injuries immediately, Tutul was left in a critical state. (ALSO READ: Secular Bangladeshi blogger Niloy Neel hacked to death by Islamic extremists)

The attack was carried by local militant unit Ansarullah Bangla Team which has paid allegiance to Al-Qaeda. It has also warned to carry attacks on news media houses if they continue to allow women without burkah reading news on television.

The attack on publishers were carried out since they were selling books written by slain Bangladeshi atheist blogger Avijit Roy, who too was hacked by Islamic goons. In the statement released by Al-Qaeda, it described the act of publishing blasphemous material even more sinful than committing it.

The family members of deceased publisher Dipan claim that he was under the radar of communal elements since he endorsed secular views and did not hesitate from publishing them. Police have beefed up the security cover of Tutul, who is likely to be attacked again since he was eliminated.

Recently , there has been a spree of communal attacks in Bangladesh on seculars and atheist writers by fringe group who are increasing their size and influence. Many of them have paid allegiance to transnational terror bodies – Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has accused opposition parties including Bangladesh National Party and right-wing Jama’at-e-Islami for backing fundamentalist and local extremist organizations.