Extremists tried to attack Hasan Shantonu says his name is an ‘insult’ to Prophet Muhammad and Islam

Hasan Shantonu

Unknown extremists tried to attack on secular writer, journalist and blogger Hasan Shantonu  in front of BSMMU Hospital, near to Shahbag, Dhaka. After evening on 14 February,2016, he was going to attend month long ‘Ekushe Book Fair’, organised by Bangla Academy. The attacker tried to attack on him for his secular writings and views. Islamic fundamentalists has targeted him for a long time.

Two witnesses said, Hasan Shantonu get down from a public transport bus infront of BSMMU with his four or five friends after this evening. They were going to Shahbag point by on foot. At that time six to eight young men (students of any Madrasha) stand in front of Hasan

Shantonu and his friends. They wanted to know him that what is the meaning of his name ‘Hasan Shantonu?’

One of the attacker answered, Hasan is the name of grand-son of our Prophet Muhammad. Shantonu is name of a Hindus God. Why your name is Hasan Shantonu? It is ‘anti- Islamic’ acts. You are insulting our Prophet and Islam.  To point out this, one of them hold Hasan Shantonus shirt’s collar. Shantonus friends save him. Then he started run for a safe place.

Shantonu went to the police control room of Book Fair. He complained to the police about that incident. After some time, Shantonu left the Book Fair with help of some police. On duty police constable Helal Uddin, Titu Mia, Rahman confirmed the incident to primenews.

Hasan Shantonu has been threatened with death the past. He wants the supreme punishment of war criminals of 1971, during the liberation war of Bangladesh. Besides, he writes on behalf of humanity, secularism on many newspapers. For that reason, he is targeted to the Islamic militants.

In the past time, author Hasan Shantonu has got threatened. He has lodged a General Diary (GD) on 9 march 2015, to his nearest Police Station, Tejgoan Industrial Area Thana, Dhaka, with this connection. He is seeking security after he was threatened over the phone, but police has not taken any step for him.

Last year, US-American writer and blogger Avijit Roy was hacked by suspected Islamist militants near the book fair premises while his wife was also injured in the attack, demonstrating lax security despite promises by the police authorities. Four other bloggers and a publisher were also hacked to death later allegedly by the radical groups, raising concern about the security of the writers and bloggers.

Avijit Roy was the first of five deadly attacks on secular writers and publishers in 2015 and the violence has cast a pall on intellectual life in Bangladesh. Islamic militants started their killings by Avijit.

In addition, the national Bengali Research Center, Bangla Academy arranges the month-long book fair, Ekushey Boi Mela, to showcase new books and encourage young writers. Writers and poets from home and abroad hold meetings, seminars and cultural events tied to the book fair.

Hasan Shantonu has three books in there in diferent stall of three publications. Those books are so popular to the students of Journalism Deparments of University. He is now working as a senior reporter in The Daily Jaijaidin, a bengali national newspaper, published from Dhaka. He is also the author of creative prose.

SOURCE: Prime News