’Israel’ Responsible for Bangladesh Killings

Local Editor

Bangladeshi Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan suggested that an "Israeli"-led "international conspiracy" is behind the recent murders of secularist bloggers and intellectuals.

Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] -linked extremist groups had claimed responsibility for some of the attacks, including that of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, who was hacked to death with machetes in the north-western city of Rajshahi in April for "calling to atheism".

The Bangladeshi government had been accused of being denial about the wave of extremist violence, and Khan claimed that an opposition politician had met an "Israeli" intelligence agent and there was evidence of an "international conspiracy" against Bangladesh.

Reacting to Khan's remarks, Emmanuel Nahshon, a spokesman of the so-called "Israeli" Ministry for Foreign Affairs, described the accusation as "utter drivel."

Bangladesh has no diplomatic ties with the "Israeli" entity. Recently opposition MP Aslam Chowdhury was arrested and charged with sedition after meeting an "Israeli" regime adviser Mendi Safadi in India. However, he has denied accusations he met an "Israeli" intelligence agent.

Bloggers, a rights campaigner, westerners and members of religious minorities had been killed in violent attacks in recent months, many hacked to death with machetes.

Khan's comments came the day after the wife of a senior police officer investigating an outlawed group was murdered. Mahmuda Aktar was stabbed and shot to death in front of her six-year-old son the southern port of Chittagong.

When asked about the killings Khan said, as quoted by the BBC: "Bangladesh has become the target of an international conspiracy. And a foreign intelligence agency has joined the conspiracy."

"You must have noticed that an ‘Israeli' intelligence agent had a meeting with a politician, it does not need to be verified further, all Bangladeshi know about it" he added.

Also on Sunday, Sunil Gomes, a Christian grocer, was hacked to death in the village of Bonpara in an attack claimed by the Daesh terrorist group.

Police say more than 40 people had been killed since January 2015 in the spate of killings.

Most of the attacks against the secular bloggers, academics and members of religious minorities were claimed by Daesh or al-Qaeda-linked groups.

However, Dakha had disputed the claims and blamed opposition parties or local militant groups for the killings.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team