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| Bangladeshi writer unconscious in hospital after stabbing |
| 2004-02-28 |
| Leading Bangladeshi author Humayun Azad was unconscious at a military hospital in Dhaka on Saturday after being stabbed by unidentified attackers on leaving a national book fair, his publisher said. "He is still senseless and doctors are monitoring his health at the intensive cure unit," publisher Osmani Gani said. "We have to wait 72 hours for the doctors to be sure as one injury was on the back of his head," Mr Gani told AFP from the Combined Military Hospital. To be sure of what? That he's dead? Mr Azad, 56, a Bengali-language teacher at Dhaka University, was stabbed three times late Friday by unidentified assailants as he left a book fair on the campus, police and newspapers reported. The assailants fled by exploding a home-made bomb that sent people scurrying for cover. Police said on Saturday that two suspects had been arrested. Betcha they were wearing turbans... Teachers, students and fans of Mr Azad demonstrated Saturday on the Dhaka University campus against the attack. "He [Azad] is a symbol against communalism and we strongly condemn the attack," Arefin Siddiqui, president of Dhaka University Teachers Association, told the protest rally on the campus. Kamal Hossain, a lawyer and leader of the small Gono Forum party, added: "This attack is an attack on free speech." "Mahmoud, we gotta shut dis guy up! Permanent!" "Hokay, boss. But dat won't infringe on his freedom of speech, will it?" Flowers were placed by his fans and friends at the blood-stained scene of the attack. Mr Azad's family and fellow writers blamed hardline Islamists for the attack, saying it was linked to his latest book, entitled Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad - the first lines of the Pakistani national anthem. That probably makes it blasphemy. That explains the whole thing. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #3 I'm confused. Was he the leading Bangladeshi author or the only Bangaladeshi author? Or is that the same thing? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-2-28 7:58:35 PM |
| #2 The choice was either to do that or to write a critical book review. Too bad they didn't know how to write. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-2-28 1:06:44 PM |
| #1 Bangladeshi author Humayun Azad was ... stabbed by unidentified attackers on leaving a national book fair The choice was either to do that or to write a critical book review. |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-2-28 1:04:51 PM |