Three bloggers and writers, including the publisher of Shuddhashar Prokashani, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, have been hacked in the capital's Lalmatia area.
Shuddhashar Prokashani published slain writer-blogger Avijit Roy's book Shunya Theke Mahabishwa and the publisher reportedly received death threat after the brutal murder of Avijit. Tutul has written two poetry books--Durbalataguchchha, Mrita Ghorhar Hresha.
Also Read: Avijit's publisher Dipan slain
Two other injured bloggers-writers are--Sudeep Kumar Ray Barman, who writes under the name of Ranadipam Basu, and Tareq Rahim.
Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Witnesses told a private television station that a gang of five to six miscreants entered inside the office of Tutul around 2:30pm and swooped on the three writers with firearms and sharp local weapons.
Later, the criminals locked the victims, who are also the activists of Gonojagoron Moncho, up in the office from outside.
Ranadipam Basu posted a Facebook status regarding the attack immediately after it happened.
Mohammadpur police station OC Jamaluddin Mir told the Dhaka Tribune: "Being informed by the other employees of the publishing house , a team of Mohammadpur police rushed to the spot and rescued the injured bloggers around 3:15pm."
Some seven to eight people, including the victims, were inside the office when the attack was launched, said the police official. "The criminals introduced themselves as book buyers and entered inside the publishing house."
"The attackers could not be identified immediately. Investigation is underway," added the OC.
Timeline: Attacks on Bloggers in BangladeshSaturday's attack comes amid fears about the rise of extremism in Bangladesh. At least four atheist bloggers have been murdered in the country earlier this year.
Take a look : Another blogger murdered in Dhaka * Blogger Oyasiqur hacked to death * Another Mukto-Mona blogger hacked to death
Mohammadpur OC (operation) Afzal Hossain, who was in the rescue team, told our DU Correspondent Arif: “We found the flat locked from outside when we arrived there. “After breaking the lock, when we entered the flat and found Tareq Rahim lying on the floor while two others were sitting on two different chairs, all blooded.”
Our Dhaka Medical College Hospital Correspondent Babu reported: "The injured bloggers were taken to the hospital around 3:50pm Saturday. Of them, Tutul and Tareq were taken to operation theater."
Additional Commissioner (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Sheikh Maruf Hasan told reporters that the situation of Tareq Rahim is more critical than the two others.
“The attackers hacked him in his head, neck and hand. He also received bullet in his waist while Tutul got injuries in head and hand, and Ranadipam had injuries in many parts his body.”
The duty doctor at Ward no 103 told the Dhaka Tribune that if the situation requires Tareq would be transferred to the ICU. “The Cityscan report of Tutul showed that he is out of danger.”
“The members of police, DB, CID, and RAB are lunching investigation into the incident. Detailed information will be made public after the investigation is completed,” added the DMP official.
Imran H Sarkar, among many other cultural and social activists, visited the three bloggers-writers at the DMCH.
Tutul told them in presence of the reporters that they (Tutul, Ranadipam and Tareq) were working inside the office keeping two other colleagues at the door out of their security concern that emerged from the recent threat he received.
“The door was locked from outside, but the three attackers emerged all on a sudden, and swooped on us with sharp weapons,” said Tutul. “They might have intimidated our colleagues with the weapons and stormed into the office.”
Later, Gonojagoron Moncho brought out a procession, protesting the attack from in front Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 6pm.
The participants condemned the fresh attack on the bloggers and the publisher, and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.