The European Parliament delegation for South Asia has called on the government, political parties and civil society members to stand together against the acts of violent extremists in Bangladesh.

Jean Lambert, chair of the delegation, also encouraged peaceful student demonstration against the violence, said a statement issued in Brussels on Wednesday.

The statement came following the killings of LGBT activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy on Monday.

The perpetrators of the recent murders must be swiftly brought to justice, Lambert said.

“In this regard the EP Delegation calls on the Government to ensure the respect of democratic principles, such as already expressed in the recent EP Resolution (2015) on freedom of expression in Bangladesh,” she added.

The delegation expressed deep concern and condemnation of the ongoing killings in Bangladesh.

“Since February last year, militants have killed several secular or atheists writers and members of religious minority groups.

Only this month there are in addition to Monday's killings the murder of a law student and an English language professor,” the statement read.