Freethinking writer and politician shot dead in Bangladesh:
Shahzahan Bachchu was known locally and within the secular Bangladeshi movement as an outspoken, sometimes fiery activist for secularism. He printed poetry and books related to humanism and freethought via his publishing house Bishaka Prakashani (Star Publishers). He was also a political activist, serving as former general secretary of Munshiganj district unit of the Communist Party.
He was reportedly shot and killed this evening near his village home at Kakaldi in Munshiganj district near the capital Dhaka.
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God.
This is very tragic. No one should ever be murdered for their views, however distasteful the views may be the to the majority of a country. Recently, in Pakistan, a prominent Sikh leader in Peshawar was murdered in what seems to be a target killing.
We don’t discuss Bangladesh enough on BP. Perhaps because we have no contributors who actually live there. There is a lot going on to discuss though, including Sheikh Hasina’s essentially one-party rule.
sometimes no news is good news.
I guess so. But I think some of the inordinate attention paid to India-Pakistan can be given to Bangladesh. It would make BP a bit more balanced.
We have no Nepalis either, so we don’t get anything from that very interesting country either.
@The fool hath said in his heart, there is a God.
RIP Shahzahan Bachchu
My condolences to his family, near and dear ones. We are divided by a common heritage.
-P. Rao
It is not yet known who or which political-non political group has killed him. The way he was killed, assassins coming on motorcycles, quick shooting and then riding away fast, is more characteristic of political, mafia hit squad than religious groups. Religious groups in Bangladesh do not use firearms to kill atheists. They use sharp weapons to hack blasphemers to death. Its the way of religiously sanctioned killing probably.
The problem is not fool or his heart. It is a violent desire to extirpate a life who thinks differently.
Agreed.
Inshallah may martyr Shahzahan Bachchu know peace in heaven. May he ever smile down upon us. May his inspiration live through us always. May his beloved Bengal and Bangladesh move from perfection to perfection.