Blogger and online activist Oyasiqur Rahman Babu’s family have been living in constant fear of attack and humiliation since he was hacked to death by radical Islamists on March 30.
Sources close to the family said the family members, now labelled as “atheists” and “family with anti-Islam sentiments,” have been harassed in public on a number of occasions.
Oyasiqur was murdered for writing against Islam, according to two of his killers Zikrullah and Ariful Islam, who were detained while fleeing the scene, said Biplob Kumar Sarkar, deputy commissioner at Tejgaon zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
This correspondent visited Oyasiqur’s family at Uttar Hajipur village in Ramganj upazila, Lakshmipur and talked to his sister Afsarin Shimu. “My father is has fallen ill after losing his only son,” a crying Shimu told the Dhaka Tribune.
“Where in Islam is it said that murder is permissible for having different opinion? Islam is a religion of peace; it does not allow killing of innocents,” she said.
“We want justice for my brother’s murder, but we don’t want to die for it. The government has to take responsibility of bringing the killers to book. If the killers get proper punishment, no other family will have to suffer as we are suffering.”
Since his murder, the family has been subjected to ridicule and harassment, sources told the Dhaka Tribune. They have been labelled as atheists and “enemies of Islam,” and it has been difficult for them to go about in public places. Some have even posted derogatory comments on Shimu’s Facebook page.
Surprisingly, despite reports of him having atheist views, his family members claimed that Oyasiqur was religious and prayed regularly.
They knew that he used to write blogs online, but they were not aware of any anti-Islam writings by him.
Oyasiqur had known as a polite and well-mannered person in his village, several neighbours of the family told the Dhaka Tribune.
“He was a brilliant man who was never known to keep bad company. He was never involved in any questionable activities. He did not deserve such a death,” said Mojibul Haq, 90, one of the neighbours.
A public representative in the area, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune that people have been talking about Oyasiqur’s beliefs since his death, but no one talked about him when he was alive. “No one can exactly say what is it that he wrote about Islam on the internet.”
Asked about his family being antagonised socially, Ramganj police station OC Lokman Hossain said people has been sympathetic towards Oyasiqur and his family. “People hate criminals, and Oyasiqur was not one.”