US mulls granting refuge to secular B'desh bloggers

The US has said it is considering granting refuge to a select number of bloggers who are under “imminent danger” in Bangladesh following a series of murders of secular writers and activists in the country

Washington: The US has said it is considering granting refuge to a select number of bloggers who are under “imminent danger” in Bangladesh following a series of murders of secular writers and activists in the country.

State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner said humanitarian parole to “a select number of bloggers who continue to be under imminent danger” is one option under consideration but referred to Homeland Security Department for further details.

The remarks by the US official come following the “barbaric murder” of Nazimuddin Samad, a law student who was killed in Bangladesh on Wednesday night for speaking out against violent Islamist extremism. Toner condemned the attack and expressed support to Bangladesh.

There have been systematic assaults in Bangladesh over the past six months targeting minorities, secular bloggers and foreigners. Last year, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.

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