University professor hacked to death in Bangladesh, ISIS claims responsibility

A university professor, A.F.M. Rezaul Karim Siddique, who was on his way to work where he taught English at the University in northwestern Bangladesh on Saturday morning was hacked to death in an attack that was similar to that of the atheist blogger and other killings by suspected Muslim militants, police said.

Deputy police commissioner Nahidul Islam said. The attackers used sharp weapons and fled the scene immediately.

The attack was similar to recent killings of atheist bloggers in Muslim-majority Bangladesh by radical Islamists.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, accusing Siddique of encouraging atheism, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadi websites.

IS has claimed responsibility for other attacks in Bangladesh, but the government has dismissed those claims, saying that ISIS has no presence in Bangladesh.

At least three other professors at Rajshahi University have been killed in recent years, allegedly by Islamist groups.

The professor’s brother, Sajidul Karim Siddique,said that he doesn’t know why his brother was killed because he was a “very quiet and simple man” who had no enemies and was focused on studying and teaching. He led a cultural group and used to edit a literary magazine.

“So far as we know, he did not have any known enemies and we never found him worried,” the brother said. “We don’t know why it happened to him.”Following Saturday’s attack, hundreds of students and lecturers marched on Rajshahi University’s campus and blocked a highway, demanding justice for the professor’s death.

Amnesty International condemned the killing and said those responsible must be brought to justice.
Amnesty’s South Asia director, Champa Patel, in a statement said:

“The vicious killing … is inexcusable and those responsible must be held to account,” “This attack sadly fits the gruesome pattern established by Islamist extremist groups in Bangladesh who are targeting secular activists and writers.”

“The authorities must do more to put an end to these killings. Not a single person has been brought to justice for the attacks over the past year,” Patel said.

Source: AP