Dhaka: In an incident reminiscent of the spate of similar killings of secular bloggers and atheist activists, a university professor was on Saturday hacked to death by unidentified assailants less than 50 metres from his residence in the northern Rajshahi city of Bangladesh.
According to the US-based SITE intelligence group, ISlamic State militants have claimed responsibility for the gruesome murder of the academician.
AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, was a professor of English at Rajshahi University located in western Bangladesh. He was reportedly attacked with machetes by unidentified assailants while on his way to the university from his home.
The incident occurred at around 7.40 am when Prof Siddique was waiting for the university bus close to his home. Several men swooped upon him from behind and attacked him the sharp weapons, leaving him dead on the spot.
While the immediate motive behind his murder has not been ascertained by law enforcement authorities, a militant attack has not been ruled out completely. The professor was known for his liberal ideology and his death marks the second murder of a teacher from the same university in two years.
Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.
Deputy police commissioner Nahidul Islam told agencies that Siddique had been involved in cultural programmes, and had set up a school at Bagmara, a former bastion of outlawed Islamist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Two more professors of the Rajshahi university were murdered a few years ago.
(With agencies)
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