Bangladesh was fortunate to have quickly adopted the culture of blogging at a time when internet usage was not widespread. In the following years, Bangladesh’s bloggers and blogging in the country have witnessed the worst of times. Islamic chauvinist vigilantes painstakingly browsed blogs and earmarked names of bloggers whom they identified as ‘blasphemous’ and ‘anti-Islam’. Indeed, the wrath of deshi jehadis surfaced as soon as the blog revolution was sparked off in December 2005.
This year three bloggers were hacked to death with machetes by fanatics. Bloggers were intimidated, some were jailed, while several bloggers and cartoonists fled the country.
They fell victim to Islamists conducting a mockery of jehad against free-thinkers, more specifically atheists who are vocal on social media and write eloquently about religion, orthodoxy, Islamic theology and Prophet Mohammed. The nation has witnessed massive protests demanding that bloggers be hanged and silenced. We have also seen the draconian Information and...
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