Blogger Ananta Murder: Family still awaits closure

The ageing mother of slain blog writer Ananta Bijoy Das, who was killed by Islamist militants nine years ago, is still waiting for closure.

An Anti-Terrorism Special Tribunal in Sylhet sentenced four militants to death on March 30, 2022, and acquitted an accused in the case.

But three of the convicts are still on the run.

However, officials say hearing on the death references and an appeal filed by the state may take a few more years.

Ananta's mother Pijush Rani Das, aged around 70, has different illnesses and his father Rabindra Kumar Das died in 2019, when the trial proceedings were going on.

Ananta's brother-in-law Somor Bijoy Shee, a lawyer, said, "All we can do is to wait for justice to be served. We hope his mother gets to see it."

Ananta was a banker and the editor of a magazine called Jukti, which was known for promoting freethinking.

In the morning of May 12, 2015, the 31-year-old was hacked to death near his home in Subidbazar area while on his way to work. His sister was with him at the time.

Banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) claimed responsibility for the killing.

The next day, Ananta's brother Ratneswar Das filed a murder case with Airport Police Station accusing unnamed individuals.

On October 18 2016, Arman Ali, an inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department pressed charges. As the court ordered a reinvestigation, the CID in May 2017 filed a supplementary charge sheet.

It pressed charges against Shafiur Rahman Farabi, Mannan Yahya who goes by the alias Mannan Rahi, Abul Khaer Rashid Ahmed, Abul Hossain, Harunur Rashid, and Faisal Ahmed.

Of them, only Yahya confessed to killing Ananta. He died on November 2, 2017, after falling ill at Dhaka Central Jail.

In 2022, Judge Nurul Amin Biplob sentenced Khaer, Hossain, Harunur and Faisal to death and acquitted Farabi. Only Khaer is in jail now.

Prosecutor Muminur Rahman Titu said, "After the verdict, we appealed against Farabi's acquittal. The appeal and death reference are pending with the Supreme Court."

Debasish Debu, a spokesperson of Ganajagaran Mancha in Sylhet, said, "The killing of Ananta was a sign of the rise of militants in Bangladesh. The government and the Supreme Court should prioritise the case to set an example of the state's stand against militancy."

Ananta's friends will hold a vigil at 11:00am today at the place where he was killed.