On 30 March 2015, HRD and blogger Oyasiqur (aka Washiqur)Rhaman was murdered in the Tejgaon area of Dhaka. Three young men surrounded him and sliced his face, throat, and forehead with machetes. The police arrested two suspects with machetes near the scene of the attack, who said they killed Rahman due to his “anti-Islamic” articles. Rahman blogged under the name “Kutshit Hasher Chhana” (the Ugly Duckling) about gender equality, violations of women’s rights, and his opposition to fundamental Islam’s role in Bangladesh’s legal system. Prior to his death, Rhaman received a series of death threats.
Oyasiqur Rhaman
If you would like to provide a personal recollection, please email us at: HRDMemorial@frontlinedefenders.org
Region:Asia-Pacific
Country:Bangladesh
Department/Province/State:Dhaka
Sex1:Male
Age:27
Date of Killing:30/03/2015
Previous Threats:Yes
Type of Work:Journalist/communicator
Sector or Type of Rights the HRD Worked On:Civil and Political Rights
Sector Detail:Freedom of Expression, Women's Rights
More information:Front Line Defenders
1This database records an individual's chosen gender identity. If they do not self-identify as male or female they can use the option of recording other/neither or use the term NBGI (non binary gender identity).
URLs (links) of Interest
- The New York Times
- https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/asia/suspects-held-in-hacking-death-of-bangladeshi-blogger.html
- CNN
- http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/31/asia/bangladesh-blogger-death/
- BBC News
- http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32112433
- The New Yorker
- http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/12/21/the-hit-list