US condemns Nazim killing

The United States has condemned as “barbaric” the latest killing in Bangladesh of an outspoken opponent of radical Islam and said it is considering granting refuge to a select number of bloggers who face imminent danger.

Assailants hacked and shot to death 28-year-old law student Nazim Uddin Samad on Wednesday night on a street in Dhaka.

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At least five secular bloggers and publishers were killed in similar attacks last year. That has heightened concern that religious extremists are getting a foothold in Bangladesh, a Muslim country with traditions of secularism and tolerance, and that authorities are failing to provide protection.

Meanwhile, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein urged the Bangladesh government to take urgent, concerted measures to ensure the protection of all those being threatened by extremists “operating in the country”, reports UNB.

Hussein made the call saying they are alarmed by the violent killing of Nazim.

“We call on political and religious leaders to unequivocally condemn such murders, and on the authorities to swiftly investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice,” he was quoted as saying in a statement received from Geneva on Friday.

AP reports that in December, US-based human rights groups urged the US to offer “humanitarian parole” for Bangladeshi writers targeted by extremists for their secular beliefs. Karin Deutsch Karlekar of PEN America reiterated that call to the US and other countries Thursday, saying that Nazim's killing “is a cruel illustration of the costs of inaction.”

State Department spokesman Mark Toner strongly condemned the “barbaric murder” of Nazim and told reporters the US offers “unwavering support to the Bangladeshi people in their struggle against violent extremism.”

He said that humanitarian parole for a select number of bloggers who continue to be under “imminent danger” is one option under consideration, but referred questions on it to the Homeland Security Department.

Shin Inouye, press secretary at the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is responsible for administering such cases, declined to comment about any specific requests for humanitarian parole, citing privacy rules.

Humanitarian parole is used sparingly to bring a person into the United States for a temporary period of time due to a compelling emergency.

No group has claimed responsibility for the killing of Nazim, a supporter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's secular Awami League party.

Bangladeshi police said they suspect Nazim was targeted for his outspoken atheism and for supporting capital punishment for war crimes committed during the Liberation War against Pakistan in 1971. Hasina's government set up special tribunals to try war crimes cases, including against senior leaders of an Islamist party.

Hasina's government has accused the opposition of supporting religious radicals it blames for the attacks on bloggers, members of Shia community, Christians and foreigners. Some of the attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group, but the government dismisses those claims and says the Sunni extremist group has no presence in the country.

STATEMENT OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

The US Department of State in its statement said, “Nazim Uddin knew and Bangladesh's history has shown that violence can – will not defeat Bangladesh's proud tradition of free and independent discourse.”

“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,” said the statement.