US deeply concerned over recent violence in Bangladesh

The US expressed its deep concern over the recent violence in Bangladesh including attacks against the minorities, LGBTs and others.

US Department of States Spokesperson John Kirby told journalists in reply to a question about what’s going on between US and Bangladesh as far as stopping all these attacks.

“Well, obviously, we’re deeply concerned by this violence. We’re very troubled by this,” Kirby said during the daily press briefing at his office in Washington, DC yesterday.

“They appear to be carried out by a small group of terrorists who seek to stifle independent thought and to attack violently anyone who disagrees with them and their thoughts,” he added.

“We’re pretty confident – no, not pretty confident – we are confident that these attacks do not represent the views of and are rejected as abhorrent by the overwhelming majority of people in Bangladesh,” Kirby opined.

He also said Bangladesh has a proud tradition of being a pluralistic society that values diversity, welcomes the free exchange of ideas, and these are the values that these violent extremists are ultimately attacking.

On April 25, unidentified assailants hacked to death a local staff member of the USAID and his friend in a flat in the capital's Kalabagan area.

The USAID staff, Xulhaz Mannan, earlier worked as a protocol officer of former US ambassador Dan Mozena for long.  He was also an editor of “Roopbaan,” the country's only known magazine for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community. 

On April 23, AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, a teacher of Rajshahi University was brutally murdered in Shalbagan area of Rajshahi city in an attack that also bears the hallmark of the previous blogger killings.