As the law enforcers remain clueless regarding the attacks on publishers and writers, Jagriti Prokashoni and Shuddhashar will publish fewer books during the Amar Ekushey Boi Mela this year due to persistent security concerns.
“Earlier we had plans to publish around 100 new books from Jagriti Prokashoni during this year’s book fair. My son used to look after the procedure. In his absence, we have decided to publish only 16 books,” said Prof Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, father of slain publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan.
“In addition, we will not reprint or sell the books that drew debate,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
On Saturday, Bangla Academy Director General Shamsuzzaman Khan asked the publishers not to publish any book that might create controversy. The authorities last year banned a book of Rodela Prokashoni and shut down its stall in the face of outrage by religious fanatics against a new book on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Dipan, who had published two books of slain secularist writer Avijit Roy, was hacked to death in the capital’s Aziz Super Market on October 31 last year, a few hours after another of Avijit’s publishers, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, and two other writers came under similar attack in Lalmatia area. Tutul left the country in mid November fearing for his life.
Police blame outlawed militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team for the attacks, but have so far failed to identify or arrest any of the attackers.
Prof Abul Kashem said that the investigators had not given them any update regarding the probe. “It will be injustice if the government fails to arrest the killers and try them,” he added.
Shuddhashar publication would publish only four books this year whereas the owner, Tutul, had preparation to complete 26 books until he came under the attack. Two of the new books are written by Ranadipam Basu, one of the two writers injured in the attack on Shuddhashar office.
The law enforcers are now analysing the CCTV footage collected from the market. They have so far identified three suspects in Dipan murder case but are unsure about their details.
Masruqur Rahman Khaled, deputy commissioner (south) of DB police, said: “It is basically a clueless case. But we are doing our best with support from different sources.”
From the footage, police found a youth checking the number plate of Dipan’s car parked in front of the market and talking over his mobile phone suspiciously. But he could not be traced.
On the other hand, Sazzadur Rahman, DB DC (west), told the Dhaka Tribune that there had been no progress in the case filed over the attack on Tutul and two writers.
When contacted, DMP Commissioner Asaduzzaman Miah without disclosing any details claimed that they had made some progress in the case.
The investigators said that they were trying to trace the attackers from a sketch prepared based on clues given by injured Tutul, Ranadipam and Tareq Rahim. They have also found that the perpetrators had claimed responsibility for the attack from Jatrabari and Wari areas.
Science writer Avijit, who had been living in the US for the last couple of years, came to Dhaka in February last year along with his wife Rafida Ahmed Bonya as two of his books got published by Shuddhashar despite facing threats by radical Islamists. They came under attack by some radicals on February 26 near the TSC intersection. Avijit died in a hospital the same night while Bonya received critical injuries.
Tareq’s elder brother Adel Rahim said that the writer was still unwell. “He [Tareq] cannot do his own tasks properly as the left hand does not function. He may need another surgery for total cure,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
Ranadipam’s brother Pallab Barman expressed concerns over the security of the family. “He used to pass busy time during the book fair. But this year he is not going out of the house,” Pallab said.