Avijit’s body handed over to DMC for research

The body of slain writer and blogger Avijit Roy was handed over to Dhaka Medical College (DMC) for medical research after people from all walks of life paid last tributes to him at Dhaka University premises today.

Avijit's father Ajay Roy handed over the body to DMC Principal Dr Ismail Khan and Anatomy Department head Dr Shamim Ara at 1:06pm.

Around 10:40am, the body was taken to the DU by an ambulance and kept it at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla where his family members, teachers, students, cultural activists and many eminent personalities like Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain were present, our correspondent reports from the spot.

After paying tribute to the blogger, Dr Kamal demanded immediate arrest and trial of the assailants who killed Avijit.

"Such attack will never be accepted as it was not only an attack on Avijit but also on our liberty," he said demanding a fair investigation into the killing.

After nearly one and half an hour, Avijit's body was taken to the murder site.

Later, the body was taken to his residence at Ramna in the capital around 12:40pm.

Unidentified assailants killed Avijit and badly wounded his wife Rafida Ahmed Banya on DU campus Thursday night after the couple came out of the Ekushey Boi Mela.

Avijit, who taught physics at Dhaka University, used to work in the US as a software engineer. He had been threatened many times by Islamist fundamentalists, said family members and fellow bloggers.