US ‘outraged’ over killing of Xulhaz

US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs Nisha Desai Biswal said Thursday that the United States was very saddened and outraged at the killing of LGBT magazine editor Xulhaz Mannan, also a former official at the US embassy in Dhaka.
‘We are very saddened and outraged at the brutal killing of Xulhaz Mannan,
who was also a US employee,’ she told reporters after holding a one and half hour-meeting with home affairs minister Asaduzzaman Khan at the secretariat.
Nisha, who arrived in Dhaka Wednesday on a two-day visit, also made a courtesy call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her office earlier on the day.
About the claims of international militant organisations like Islamic State or al-Qaeda taking responsibility for these killings, the US assistant secretary of state said there was no reason to doubt these claims.
The local militant groups, she also said, were also trying to create connections with the international militant outfits.
Denying the existence of any network of Middle-East based IS or al-Qaeda in the country, Asaduzzaman, however, said home-grown militants, having their roots in Jamaat-Shibir, were behind the recent killings.
A political party made attempts to destabilise the country, and said the situation was now under control.
Nisha Desai offered assistance in fighting the forces of terrorism and extremism in Bangladesh as the two countries, she mentioned, had a ‘deep partnership based on shared values of democracy and tolerance.’
In a tweet, Nisha Desai wrote, ‘In call on Hon PM Hasina, offered full support for investigation into murders of #XulhazMannan & others, efforts to prevent other attacks.’

US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal speaks to journalists in Dhaka on Thursday after a meeting with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan.— Focusbangla photo

She said the US partnership with Bangladesh was growing and deepening every year and it encompassed areas of economic, security and development cooperation.
Nisha said the US wanted to see the perpetrators behind such recent killings of the people who stood for the beauty of diverse culture in the country brought to justice through a proper investigation.
She underlined the need for preserving the richness and beauty of diversity of the culture of Bangladesh.
Asaduzzaman said the US assistant secretary of state had offered assistance to strengthen the country’s Counter Terrorism Unit so that it could fight cyber crimes and contain terrorism more effectively.
The minister said he had informed Nisha Desai that hurting one’s religious sentiment and promoting ‘unnatural sex’ were criminal offences as per law of the country.
He, however, assured the US delegation led by Nisha that it was the responsibility of the government to protect everyone.
The minister called upon the bloggers to restrain from writing anything that might hurt one’s religious sentiment.
Xulhaz Mannan, one of the editors of LGBT magazine Roopban, and his theatre activist friend Khandaker Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy were hacked to death by assailants at Xulhaz’s apartment in Dhaka on April 25.
Militant outfit Ansar al-Islam Bangladesh, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, claimed responsibility for the double murders in Dhaka.
Around a dozen people, including bloggers, writers, religious minorities and a university teacher were hacked to death in a similar style in recent times in the country and either IS or al-Qaeda had claimed their responsibility.
Sheikh Hasina and Nisha Desai also discussed the issue of recent secret killings in Bangladesh, reported United News of Bangladesh quoting the PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim.
The US was ready to help Bangladesh in fighting terrorism and violent extremism by providing experts and technical support, the press secretary said.
While talking about the recent killings including that of USAID staff Xulhaz Mannan, imams of mosques, priests of temples and churches, during the courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina, the PM said they were ‘soft targets’.
Hasina also asked the US Assistant Secretary of State to provide information regarding terrorism in an effort to combat the menace, according to the UNB report.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net