B’desh prof hacked to death by IS

Dhaka, April 23

An English professor on way to his university in northwestern Bangladesh was today hacked to death by Islamic State terrorists near his home, the latest in a series of brutal attacks on bloggers, intellectuals and activists by the dreaded group in the Muslim-majority country.

Rajshahi University Professor AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, 58, was attacked by motorbike-borne assailants within 50 metres of his residence in Rajshahi city while he was on his way to catch a bus for the university campus. The militants slit his throat using sharp weapons and left him to die, police said.

Eyewitnesses said Siddiquee’s body was found lying face down in a pool of blood, and a local media report quoted one of them as saying that she saw two persons leaving on a motorbike from the spot. US-based private SITE Intelligence Group said the Islamic State has claimed the killing.

“ISIS’ Amaq Agency reported the group’s responsibility for killing Rajshahi University Prof Rezaul Karim for “calling to atheism” in Bangladesh, it said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, angry students and teachers of the university rallied on the campus demanding immediate arrest of culprits.

Siddiquee’s colleagues said he was involved in cultural activities and used to play the flute and sitar. “He was not known for affiliation with any political party... He had a progressive outlook that might have earned him the wrath of reactionary (Islamist) forces,” Professor of Mass Communication Department of the university Dulal Chandra Biswas said.

Biswas said he believed the Islamists murdered Siddiquee to prove their existence in view of a massive anti-militant security clampdown in the region.

There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh in recent months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers, intellectuals and foreigners. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. In February, a head priest was killed at a Hindu temple in an area bordering India, the first attack by the ISIS targeting the community.  PTI