Words and violence: militant Islamist attacks on bloggers in Bangladesh and the UK

ABSTRACT

From 2013, groups associated with Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent systematically targeted secular bloggers and writers in Bangladesh and its international diaspora for brutal killings and relentless harassment. At least twelve writers were killed after 2013. This article explores the historical context of the violence, including in the UK, a site of enduring conflicts between secular and political Islamist Bangladeshis. The context includes memories of the 1971 Bangladeshi genocide and the charged political environment after 2009 arising from the International Crimes Tribunal (Bangladesh) that had sought to bring perpetrators of the genocide to trial. The rise of political blogging in the Bangladeshi diaspora and the impact of the killings is explored. A range of conceptual issues are discussed, including the power of social media in the killings and the mobilization of political fear. The article is based on depth interviews with Bangladeshi bloggers and activists living under threat.

KEYWORDS:

• Bangladeshis
• Al Qaeda
• minorities
• secularism
• violence
• religion

Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks to the bloggers and activists for their time and generosity; the anonymous translator whose intellect and skills have been invaluable; the key informants; and the Masters students who helped greatly.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).