Avijit Roy
Avijit Roy অভিজিৎ রায় | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Critic, columnist |
| Language | Bengali, English |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Genre | anti-establishment |
Avijit Roy (Bengali: অভিজিৎ রায়) was a US based engineer, writer and blogger of Bangladeshi origin. Dr. Avijit Roy was prominent defender of the free thought movement in Bangladesh. He was an engineer by profession, but well-known for his writings in his self-founded site, Mukto-Mona—an Internet congregation of freethinkers, rationalists, skeptics, atheists, and humanists of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent. He was hacked to death by unidentified killers in Dhaka on 26 February 2015.[1]
Early life and career
Avijit was the son of Ajay Roy, a retired professor of physics at Dhaka University.[2] He was married to Rafida Ahmed Banya. He was the founder of Mukto Mona blog and was one of its admins till his death. He had received death threats from Islamists for his anti-communal posts. Rokomari.com, a popular e-commerce site based in Bangladesh stopped selling books by Avijit Roy, after its owner received death threats of Islamists.
Death
Avijit had arrived in Dhaka with his wife during the Ekushe Book Fair.[3] On the evening of 26 February, he and his wife was returning home from Ekushe Book Fair on foot. At around 8:30 pm, they were attacked near the Teacher Student Centre intersection of Dhaka University by unidentified assailants. He was stabbed with sharp weapons in his head. His wife was slashed and her left hand fingers were cut off.[2] Both of them were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Avijit died at 10:30 pm.
Publications
As an advocate of atheism, science, and metaphysical naturalism, he has published eight Bangla books, and many of his articles have been published in magazines and journals. His last two books, Obisshahser Dorshon (The Philosophy of Disbelief) and Biswasher Virus (The Virus of Faith), have been critically well-received and are popular Bengali books on science, skepticism, and rationalism.
See also
References
- ^ "Assailants hack to death writer Avijit Roy, wife injured". bdnews24.com. Dhaka. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ a b "Blogger Avijit hacked to death on DU campus". New Age. Dhaka. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
- ^ "Writer Avijit Roy hacked dead, wife hurt near TSC". The Daily Star. Dhaka. 26 February 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.