Uploaded August 2015 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In last week’s Asia Brief, I mentioned that secular blogger Niloy Chakrabarti was murdered in his home. He was the fourth blogger killed this year in Bangladesh. Police announced that five members of a banned Islamist group have been arrested their alleged involvement in three of the murders.
All are tied to the banned Islamist extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team. One of those arrested has dual citizenship with the UK and might have information on all four murders.
Even with the arrests, critics of the government and police, feel the investigations are too slow. Some bloggers have actually stopped writing all together in order to protect themselves. “I would do anything but disclose my address and phone number to the police now. I believe if I do it, the information will be leaked to the Islamists in no time," said blogger Shakil Ahmed.
That seems extreme, but given that at least one blogger has been murdered while using a pen name and made no public mention of his address, leads some to conclude the police are leaking information.
"Only law enforcement agencies have the technologies to uncover the real identity of an online activist using a pen name and his location," a blogger said.
The government has come out in support of the police, saying it is their job to protect all citizens and to give the authorities adequate time. But some say the way police are acting worries them.
Blogger Shakil said, “… the recent comment by the [inspector general of police] on the bloggers' writings and the home ministry officials' decision, as we we've heard, to identify and arrest the people whose writings may hurt religious sentiments, add to their fear that the police are not taking a neutral stand…”
Perhaps the truest test of where the police stand on this issue will be on the follow-up of those in custody.
Connect with me on social media and the internet!
e-mail: podcast@asianewsweekly.net
Twitter: twitter.com/SteveMillerANW
Facebook: facebook.com/asianewsweekly
Podcast: asianewsweekly.net
In last week’s Asia Brief, I mentioned that secular blogger Niloy Chakrabarti was murdered in his home. He was the fourth blogger killed this year in Bangladesh. Police announced that five members of a banned Islamist group have been arrested their alleged involvement in three of the murders.
All are tied to the banned Islamist extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team. One of those arrested has dual citizenship with the UK and might have information on all four murders.
Even with the arrests, critics of the government and police, feel the investigations are too slow. Some bloggers have actually stopped writing all together in order to protect themselves. “I would do anything but disclose my address and phone number to the police now. I believe if I do it, the information will be leaked to the Islamists in no time," said blogger Shakil Ahmed.
That seems extreme, but given that at least one blogger has been murdered while using a pen name and made no public mention of his address, leads some to conclude the police are leaking information.
"Only law enforcement agencies have the technologies to uncover the real identity of an online activist using a pen name and his location," a blogger said.
The government has come out in support of the police, saying it is their job to protect all citizens and to give the authorities adequate time. But some say the way police are acting worries them.
Blogger Shakil said, “… the recent comment by the [inspector general of police] on the bloggers' writings and the home ministry officials' decision, as we we've heard, to identify and arrest the people whose writings may hurt religious sentiments, add to their fear that the police are not taking a neutral stand…”
Perhaps the truest test of where the police stand on this issue will be on the follow-up of those in custody.
Connect with me on social media and the internet!
e-mail: podcast@asianewsweekly.net
Twitter: twitter.com/SteveMillerANW
Facebook: facebook.com/asianewsweekly
Podcast: asianewsweekly.net
