Ahmed Rajib Haider

Haider, a self-proclaimed atheist, posted his blogs under the pseudonym Thaba Baba, where he questioned the historical authenticity of Islam. The content of his writings were deemed "blasphemous" by religious hardliners, resulting in them demanding blasphemy laws be instituted and that he be killed.{{Cite book|last=Blom|first=Amélie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HnKhDwAAQBAJ|title=Emotions, Mobilisations and South Asian Politics|last2=Lama-Rewal|first2=Stéphanie Tawa|date=2019-07-09|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-000-02024-3|pages=386|language=en|access-date=19 May 2020|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019115225/https://books.google.com/books?id=HnKhDwAAQBAJ|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Bangladesh Prime Minister faces pressure to kill blasphemous bloggers|url=http://www.westerneye.net/comment/2013/04/bangladesh-prime-minister-faces-pressure-to-kill-blasphemous-bloggers/|last=Yallaoui|first=Safia|date=12 April 2013|website=Western Eye|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219052832/http://www.westerneye.net/comment/2013/04/bangladesh-prime-minister-faces-pressure-to-kill-blasphemous-bloggers/|archive-date=19 December 2013}}{{Cite web|script-title=bn:ইসলাম ও নবী (সা.) কে অবমাননা করে ব্লগে রাজীবের কুরুচিপূর্ণ লেখা : বিভিন্ন সাইটে মারাত্মক প্রতিক্রিয়া {{!}}{{!}} সাপ্তাহিক সোনার বাংলা|url=http://www.weeklysonarbangla.net/news_details.php?newsid=8542|website=www.weeklysonarbangla.net|access-date=2020-05-19|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019115225/http://www.weeklysonarbangla.net/news_details.php?newsid=8542|url-status=live}}

Ahmed Rajib Haider, an atheist blogger, was murdered on February 15, 2013, after making statements critical of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. His assassination sparked protests led by secular activists, including atheists who opposed Islamic fundamentalism. Notably, these protests did not receive support from the Muslim community.

The five students arrested for Haider's murder were hailed by some as national heroes for their actions, which they believed were justified. Critics argue that the Awami League government, described as a dictatorship at the time, unjustly punished these students, portraying them as innocent victims rather than perpetrators. The Ansarullah Bangla Team, linked to the murder, is viewed by some as an Islamic group rather than a terrorist organization. Additionally, the masterminds of the attack are regarded by their supporters as influential figures rather than criminals.

{{main|Attacks by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh}}

The incident occurred at the peak of the 2013 Shahbag protests in Bangladesh. Though attacks against atheist and other secular-minded writers were not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh, the death of the 30-year-old architect and Shahbag activist brought the struggle of Bangladeshi freethinkers greater prominence.{{cite journal |author=Trisha Ahmed and Avijit Roy |date=October–November 2013 |title=Freethought Under Attack in Bangladesh |journal=Free Inquiry |volume=33 |issue=6 |url=http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=2438 |access-date=28 September 2013 |archive-date=22 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022044236/http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=2438 |url-status=live }}

Haider's murder is seen as part of a larger attack against atheist and secularist bloggers in Bangladesh. Islamic groups had been rallying for a blasphemy law along the lines of the Blasphemy law in Pakistan.{{cite news |author=Farid Ahmed |date=8 April 2013 |title=Bangladesh Islamists rally for blasphemy law |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/06/world/asia/bangladesh-blasphemy-protest |work=CNN |access-date=25 April 2013 |archive-date=10 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130410031800/http://edition.cnn.com/2013/04/06/world/asia/bangladesh-blasphemy-protest |url-status=live }} A month before the attack on Haider, blogger Asif Mohiuddin was attacked outside his house by four youths,{{cite news |date=2 April 2013 |title=4 held over attempt to kill blogger |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/4-held-over-attempt-to-kill-blogger |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=23 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523084102/http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/4-held-over-attempt-to-kill-blogger/ |url-status=live }} also from the Ansarullah Bengali Team. Although seriously injured, Asif survived. His attackers were apprehended in April 2013 based on leads from the Haider murder investigation.Video report by Independent Television (Bangladesh) {{YouTube|RqKCbEDdklU|Rajib Haider murder investigations}} (bangla) Another controversial author, blogger & online activist named Sunnyur Rahman, popularly known as 'Nastik Nobi' (Atheist Prophet) in the blog community, was also stabbed on 7 March 2013.{{cite news |date=7 March 2013 |title=Blogger Saniur files case |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/03/07/another-blogger-stabbed-at-pallabi |newspaper=banglanews24.com |access-date=18 June 2013 |archive-date=7 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507040831/http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/03/07/another-blogger-stabbed-at-pallabi |url-status=live }}

In March 2013 Asif's blog in somewhereinblog.net was shut down by the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission. In April, Asif was arrested for "blasphemous" posts,{{cite news |title=Blogger Asif Mohiuddin arrested over "blasphemous" blog posts |url=http://en.rsf.org/bangladesh-blogger-asif-mohiuddin-arrested-03-04-2013,44295.html |date=3 April 2013 |publisher=Reporters Without Borders |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061459/http://en.rsf.org/bangladesh-blogger-asif-mohiuddin-arrested-03-04-2013,44295.html |url-status=dead }} along with three other bloggers, a move protested by the 2013 Bengali blog blackout.{{cite news |author=Emran Hossain |date=4 March 2013 |title=Bangladesh Arrests 'Atheist Bloggers', Cracking Down on Critics |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/03/bangladesh-bloggers_n_3009137.html |newspaper=The Huffington Post |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=16 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150816165409/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/03/bangladesh-bloggers_n_3009137.html |url-status=live }} The crackdown on independent blogs, and the closure of the newspaper Amar Desh, was strongly criticised by Human Rights Watch{{cite news |title=Bangladesh: Crackdown on Bloggers, Editors Escalates |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/15/bangladesh-crackdown-bloggers-editors-escalates |date=15 April 2013 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=4 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150804150805/http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/04/15/bangladesh-crackdown-bloggers-editors-escalates |url-status=live }} and IHEU.{{cite web |url=http://iheu.org/story/arrests-atheist-bloggers-shows-bangladesh-authorities-are-walking-trap-set-fundamentalists |title=Arrests of "atheist bloggers" shows Bangladesh authorities are walking into a trap set by fundamentalists |date=4 April 2013 |website=International Humanist and Ethical Union |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=3 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603050443/http://iheu.org/story/arrests-atheist-bloggers-shows-bangladesh-authorities-are-walking-trap-set-fundamentalists |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://iheu.org/story/call-action-defend-bloggers-bangladesh |title=Call to action: Defend the bloggers of Bangladesh |date=9 April 2013 |website=International Humanist and Ethical Union |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=3 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603081600/http://iheu.org/story/call-action-defend-bloggers-bangladesh |url-status=live }} Shortly after the bloggers were arrested, Mukto-Mona, an independent site of freethinkers and atheists of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent, issued a statement titled, 'Bangladesh government squishing freedom of speech by arresting and harassing young bloggers inside the country'.{{cite web |url=http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=1891 |title=A Statement from Mukto-Mona: Bangladesh government squishing freedom of speech by arresting and harassing young bloggers inside the country |date=3 April 2013 |publisher=Mukto-Mona |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=8 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108064705/http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=1891 |url-status=live }} Amnesty International also issued a statement titled, 'Bangladesh: writers at risk of torture’.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/pt-br/library/asset/ASA13/006/2013/en/d728c4d4-fb39-4711-af88-e592a012ca42/asa130062013en.html |title=Bangladesh: writers at risk of torture |date=15 April 2013 |website=Amnesty International |access-date=4 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811194752/http://www.amnesty.org/pt-br/library/asset/ASA13/006/2013/en/d728c4d4-fb39-4711-af88-e592a012ca42/asa130062013en.html |archive-date=11 August 2014 }}

The Center for Inquiry (CFI), requested the US Secretary of State John Kerry "pressure the government of Bangladesh to reverse its policy of arresting atheist bloggers who were critical to religion." They sent a letter to Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom Suzan Johnson Cook "to do all they can to raise public awareness of this situation." Other influential organisations such as the Free Society Institute of South Africa, Reporters Without Borders, Committee to Protect Journalists, Global Voice Advocacy, and several other bodies also called for the immediate release of the Bangladeshi bloggers and appealed to several foreign authorities to press Bangladesh on the issue.{{cite web |url=http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/avijitroy |title=No Flag Large Enough to Cover the Shame – Guest Post from Dr. Avijit Roy |date=1 May 2013 |publisher=Center for Inquiry |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=8 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608121647/http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/avijitroy |url-status=live }}

Worldwide protest and demonstrations were held on 25 April and 2 May 2013, to put pressure on the Bangladeshi government to free the arrested bloggers. Several humanist groups (including CFU, CFI-Canada, the British Humanist Association, American Atheists, Secular Coalition for America, and Freethinkers of University of Missouri's campus) took part in cities the US, Canada, the UK, and Bangladesh.{{cite journal |author=Avijit Roy |date=8 May 2013 |title=The Struggle of Bangladeshi Bloggers |url=http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/13-05-08/#feature |journal=Skeptic |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609135536/http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/13-05-08/#feature |url-status=live }} Many writers, activists, and prominent intellectuals around the world including Salman Rushdie, Taslima Nasrin, Hemant Mehta, Maryam Namazie, PZ Myers, Avijit Roy, Anu Muhammad, Ajoy Roy, Qayyum Chowdhury, Ramendu Majumdar, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal publicly expressed their solidarity with the arrested bloggers. Three of the arrested bloggers eventually were released on bail,{{cite news |date=12 May 2013 |title=Two bloggers get bail |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/05/12/two-bloggers-get-bail |newspaper=bdnews24.com |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-date=11 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611092913/http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/05/12/two-bloggers-get-bail |url-status=live }} however the court denied bail for Asif Mohiuddin and he was sent to prison on 2 June 2013.{{cite news |last=Tipu |first=Md Sanaul Islam |date=2 June 2013 |title=Blogger Moshiur granted bail, Asif was denied bail and sent to jail |url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/jun/02/blogger-moshiur-granted-bail |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=6 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721223235/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/jun/02/blogger-moshiur-granted-bail |archive-date=21 July 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} He was released after three months but still faces charges.{{cite news |date=8 September 2013 |title=Bangladesh court indicts 4 bloggers for allegedly posting derogatory comments about Islam |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/bangladesh-court-indicts-4-bloggers-for-allegedly-posting-derogatory-comments-about-islam/ |work=Fox News Channel |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924183815/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2013/09/08/bangladesh-court-indicts-4-bloggers-for-allegedly-posting-derogatory-comments/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |date=8 September 2013 |title=4 bloggers charged |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/09/08/4-bloggers-charged |newspaper=bdnews24.com |access-date=9 August 2015 |archive-date=5 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305193006/http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/09/08/4-bloggers-charged |url-status=live }}

In 2015 alone, at least five more secular writers and publishers were murdered by Islamists:

1. 26 February: US blogger and author Avijit Roy was hacked to death yards away from the Dhaka book fair.{{cite news |date=26 February 2015 |title=Assailants hack to death writer Avijit Roy, wife injured |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/02/26/assailants-hack-to-death-writer-avijit-roy-wife-injured |newspaper=bdnews24.com |access-date=26 February 2015 |archive-date=28 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150228115944/http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2015/02/26/assailants-hack-to-death-writer-avijit-roy-wife-injured |url-status=live }}
2. 30 March: Blogger Washiqur Rahman, who wrote under the pen-name "Kutshit Hasher Chhana" ("ugly duckling") was hacked to death in broad daylight near his home in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Two of the three killers were grabbed by a transgender beggar as they attempted to flee the scene, and detained until police arrived.{{cite news |author=Shafiqul Alam |date=29 March 2015 |title=Another blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/another-blogger-hacked-death-bangladesh-061940287.html?ref=gs |newspaper=Yahoo News |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=14 February 2017 |archive-date=14 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214183748/https://www.yahoo.com/news/another-blogger-hacked-death-bangladesh-061940287.html?ref=gs |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author=Mohammad Jamil Khan |date=31 March 2015 |title=Blogger Oyasiqur hacked to death |url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/mar/30/blogger-washikur-hacked-death |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune |access-date=14 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214182143/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/crime/2015/mar/30/blogger-washikur-hacked-death |archive-date=14 February 2017 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |author1=Julfikar Ali Manik |author2=Ellen Barry |date=2 April 2015 |title=A Transgender Bangladeshi Changes Perceptions After Catching Murder Suspects |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/world/asia/an-act-of-courage-catches-murder-suspects-and-changes-perceptions-in-bangladesh.html?_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=14 February 2017 |archive-date=29 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929105112/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/world/asia/an-act-of-courage-catches-murder-suspects-and-changes-perceptions-in-bangladesh.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}
3. 11 May: Ananta Bijoy Das, 33, a banker and a founder of a group called the Science and Rationalist Council was hacked to death while walking to work in Sylhet.{{cite news |title=Bangladesh blogger Ananta Bijoy Das hacked to death |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32701001 |work=BBC News |date=12 May 2015 |access-date=7 April 2016 |archive-date=15 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160415050815/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32701001 |url-status=live }}
4. 6 August: Blogger Niloy Chakrabarti, who had spoken in May to The Guardian about his death threats, was killed by a machete gang in his fifth-floor apartment in Dhaka.{{cite news |author=Jason Burke |date=7 August 2015 |title=Bangladesh blogger killed by machete gang had asked for police protection |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/07/machete-gang-kills-secular-bangladeshi-blogger-niloy-chakrabarti |work=The Guardian |access-date=7 April 2016 |archive-date=8 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160408133223/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/07/machete-gang-kills-secular-bangladeshi-blogger-niloy-chakrabarti |url-status=live }}
5. 31 October: Publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, who had published a widely read book by Avijit Roy, was hacked to death in his office.{{cite news |title=Secular publisher hacked to death in latest Bangladesh attacks |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/31/faisal-abedin-deepan-bangladesh-secular-publisher-hacked-to-death |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |date=31 October 2015 |access-date=7 April 2016 |archive-date=4 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404151034/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/31/faisal-abedin-deepan-bangladesh-secular-publisher-hacked-to-death |url-status=live }}{{cite news |author1=Ellen Barry |author2=Julfikar Ali Manik |date=31 October 2015 |title=Bangladeshi publisher hacked to death |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/world/asia/2-men-who-published-writings-critical-of-extremism-are-stabbed-in-bangladesh.html?_r=0 |work=The New York Times |access-date=13 February 2017 |archive-date=16 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216015542/https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/world/asia/2-men-who-published-writings-critical-of-extremism-are-stabbed-in-bangladesh.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}

In addition, publishers Ahmedur Rashid Tutul and bloggers Ranadipam Basu and Tareq Rahim were severely injured in machete-wielding attacks in 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/book-hague-02242017152859.html|title=Hague Freedom Book Fair Showcases Works Banned in Bangladesh|website=BenarNews|language=en|access-date=2017-04-09|archive-date=10 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410052336/http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/bengali/book-hague-02242017152859.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite news |url=http://www.dw.com/en/attacker-shouted-allahu-akbar-while-attacking-me-with-a-machete/a-18892398|title='Attacker shouted Allahu Akbar while attacking me with a machete' {{!}} Asia |work=Deutsche Welle |date=2015-12-04 |language=en|access-date=2017-04-09|archive-date=10 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410052556/http://www.dw.com/en/attacker-shouted-allahu-akbar-while-attacking-me-with-a-machete/a-18892398|url-status=live}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.somewhereinblog.net/blog/thaba_baba Ahmed Rajib Haidar's blog under the name Thaba Baba]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Haider, Ahmed Rajib}}

Category:2013 deaths

Category:Bangladeshi bloggers

Category:Bangladeshi atheists

Category:Deaths by edged and bladed weapons

Category:Deaths by stabbing in Bangladesh

Category:Year of birth missing

Category:People murdered in Bangladesh

Category:Assassinated bloggers

Category:Attacks on secularists in Bangladesh

Category:Stabbing attacks in 2013

Category:People killed by Islamic terrorism

Category:Bangladeshi former Sunni Muslims