A professor was hacked to death by unidentified attackers near his home in Bangladesh on Saturday morning, the latest in a series of brutal attacks on intellectuals and activists in the Muslim-majority country.
The 58-year-old professor of English in Rajshahi University, was murdered within 50 metres of his residence in the country’s northwestern city of Rajshahi, the police said.
Unidentified miscreants hacked AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, with machetes and left him to die at the Battala Crossing in Salbagan area around 7.30 am, police officer Shahdat Hossain was quoted as saying.
He said the professor died instantly while the assailants fled the scene.
Rajshahi’s police commissioner, Mohammad Shamsuddin told reporters at the scene that the “technique of the murder suggested it could be an act of Islamist terrorists.”
The professor’s neck was hacked at least three times and was 70-80 per cent slit, he said.
The motive behind the murder is not immediately known. Two years ago, another professor of Rajshahi University, AKM Shafiul Islam was similarly murdered.
No groups claimed responsibility for the attack so far and police are investigating.
The police said personal rivalry was a motive behind his murder.
Meanwhile, angry students and teachers of the university rallied in the campus demanding immediate arrest of culprits.
Karim’s colleagues said he was involved in cultural activities in the campus and used to play flute and setar.
Karim’s colleagues said he was involved in cultural activities in the campus and used to play flute and setar.
He was not known for affiliation for any political party...He had a progressive outlook that might have earned him the wrath of reactionary (Islamist) forces.Dulal Chandra Biswas, Professor, Mass Communication
There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months where minorities, secular blogger and foreigners have been specifically targeted. In 2015, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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