US 'considers' refuge for Bangladesh bloggers

The United States has condemned the ‘barbaric’ murder of Nazimuddin Samad, and said that giving refuge to some of Bangladeshi bloggers is an option “under consideration”.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 8 April 2016, 10:28 AM
Updated : 8 April 2016, 12:39 PM

“[...] My understanding is that, for a select number of bloggers who continue to be under imminent danger, that is one option that’s under consideration,” deputy spokesperson of the US department of state Mark Toner said at a regular briefing in Washington on Thursday.

He was replying to a question on the latest status of a letter that human rights advocates wrote to Secretary John Kerry a couple of months ago, asking him to consider the possibility of giving refuge to Bangladeshi bloggers under threat.

He, however, said it was an issue for the US department of homeland security to deal with.

Toner started the briefing with this “serious issue” of Nazimuddin's murder who was hacked and shot dead by unknown assailants at the capital Dhaka’s Sutrapur on Wednesday night.

He was known as an online activist and was vocal against religious extremism. He was also an organiser of the Ganajagaran Mancha in his home town Sylhet.

The murder bore similarities with a series of such attacks on online activists in Bangladesh in recent years.

The state department believed that he was apparently killed for speaking out against “violent extremism” in Bangladesh.

The state department offered its "condolences to Mr Samad’s family and our unwavering support to the Bangladeshi people in their struggle against violent extremism".

“So we stand with the Bangladeshi people in rejecting this vicious act and uniting to preserve a tolerant and inclusive society that protects freedom of expression.

“The United States will continue to support the Government of Bangladesh in its efforts to combat terrorism, counter violent extremism, and bring to justice those who commit such heinous acts,” Toner read out the statement department’s statement.

The United Nations and the European Union had earlier condemned the murder and sought a thorough investigation to bring the culprits to justice.