New hit-list threatens teachers, politicians in Bangladesh

A new hit-list naming 10 people, including the head of a university and ruling party officials, have been released by a Bangladeshi extemist outfit amid a series of gruesome murders of secular bloggers and intellectuals in the Muslim-majority country.

Islamic Liberation Front (ILF), an organisation that aims to establish Islamic Khilafat in the country, on Monday issued a hit-list naming 10 renowned people, including Rajshahi University Vice Chancellor M Mizanuddin and former mayor Khairuzzaman Liton.

The ILF sent the letter to the president of the Natore Press Club from Rajshahi. Natore Press Club president Rezaul Karim Reza said that an envelope containing a computer- composed letter on an ILF pad reached the press club by post, Independent Bangladesh newspaper reported.

Apart from Mizanuddin and Liton, others named in the list include Rajshahi lawmaker Fazle Hossain Badsha, Rajshahi district unit Secretary Asaduzzaman and journalist Anu Mostafa, it said. Natore Superintendent of Police Shyamol Mukherjee said they have beefed up intelligence activities in the district and are investigating the matter.

The threat to the Rajshahi University vice chancellor comes weeks after professor from the same university AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, 58, was attacked by motorbike-borne assailants and his throat was slit on April 23.

Siddiquee's murder led to widespread protests by teachers and students from the university who condemned the attack and voiced concerns of their colleagues' security. There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh in recent months specially targeting minorities, secular bloggers, intellectuals and foreigners.

Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes, one inside his own home. In February, a head priest was killed at a Hindu temple in an area bordering India, the first attack by the ISIS targeting the community.