Remembering the life and legacy of Avijit Roy
A software engineer by profession and a writer by passion Avijit Roy(1972-2015) was a leading Bangladeshi-American human rights activist, author and a pioneer in Bengali free-thought movement. In 2001, Avijit launched a virtual discussion group of freethinkers of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent. This small discussion group would eventually lead to the inception of the first secular humanist website in the Bengali language, called 'Mukto-mona.' The literal English translation of 'Mukto-Mona' is 'Free-thinker.' As an Internet congregation of freethinkers, rationalists, skeptics, atheists & humanists Mukto-Mona gave a platform for the secular ethos of Bangladeshi culture to be reinvigorated. In an interview with a daily newspaper, Avijit described his organization's aspirations by the following lines,
The Hague showing solidarity to people who are putting their lives on the line for freedom of expression
Press Release 21/02/2017
Do not play with our kids future
As school education makes a comeback on the public debate agenda for all the wrong reasons, and none but the Islamic fundamentalists have come out to defend the government yet, here's a message for the Awami League policy makers: Open your eyes, stop substituting BNP-Jamat, act like the secular center left party it meant to be, show some leadership and do not even dare to play opportunistic games with our kids future for short term political greed. It might be of interest for few, but in the long term the social and economic consequences of such selfish practice will be severe, and you'll be judged for that, even long after you're gone.
Hypatia comes to our town
In one of the most despicable attempts to restrict free expression to be seen in recent times, Bangla Academy has tried to impose a two-year ban on "Srabon Prokashoni," a secular publishing house.
Ensure constitutional protection for Rosraj
One of the finest legal brains of the nation Justice Samsuddin Chowdhury Manik has accused the district Magistrate of Brahmanbaria of depriving "Rasraj", of his constitutional rights to defend.
A violation of child rights
Like every other Bangladeshi kid, I also had to study Islamic religion throughout my high school years while my Hindu friends were studying Hindu religion. The Christian boy of the class Bobby Di Costa was the only exception as the school didn't have a Christian teacher.
Time to take stand in defense of free speech
Recently on Facebook, Taslima Nasrin, our own icon of freedom, accused several Bangladeshi Newspaper editors of being cowardly for refusing the publication of an article written to commemorate the tragic murder of the Jordanian satirist and writer Nahid Hattar. I can honestly feel Miss Nasrin's frustration, but however, I personally do not think it is appropriate to hold the editors or the journalists responsible for the appalling state of free speech Bangladeshi writers and freethinkers are suffering from.
We must honour our dissenters - An interview with Maryam Namazie
In a personal conversation with Maryam Namzie I shared the story of Mukto-mona, discussed on key global issues what sort of future we envisage.
Ode for Avijit Roy
Melancholy has become the mantra As fear and conjecture has become the currency of the ruler Truth and justice have become words of prejudice Pain and suffering the primary means of interacting.