Ansar Al Islam, a banned militant outfit, might be behind the murder of free-thinking writer-publisher Shahjahan Bachchu, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit Chief Monirul Islam said today.

There is a similarity in the pattern of Bachchu’s murder with other killings purportedly committed by Ansar al-Islam, Monirul came up with the observation while talking to reporters DMP media centre in Dhaka.

“Two units of CTTC were sent to the spot and it seems to be the murder was carried out by the militant outfit. Primarily we are suspecting Ansar al-Islam is involved in the murder,” he said.

The CTTC chief said they are trying to arrest the perpetrators based on information provided by some other operatives of the militant outfit, who were arrested earlier.

It is a sequel to free-thinking blogger killing spree, he thinks.

Criminals shot dead writer-publisher and former CPB leader Shahjahan Bachchu in Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj on Monday.

He was the acting editor of weekly Amader Bikrampur and former general secretary of Munshiganj chapter of Communist Party of Bangladesh. He had his own publishing house “Bishaka Prokashoni”.

As a free-thinking blogger, he wrote several posts on religious matters.