State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has received a death threat in a letter from a militant outfit.

The letter lists the names of six others, including that of former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof AK Azad Chowdhury.

Prof Azad received the letter, purportedly sent by Ansarullah Bangla Team, at his Dhanmondi residence 

around noon on Tuesday.

"Second list of dead. Must you will prepare for dead,” read the letter written in red ink bellow the names of the seven personalities. The militant outfit, using the name “Alkaida- A. Bangla Team: 13”, reportedly sent the letter.

Officer-in-Charge of Dhanmondi Police Station Noor A Azam Mia said only Prof Azad had informed them of receiving the letter. He said police were investigating the matter and ensuring security for those who are on the list.

In the letter, Prof Azad, former chairman of the University Grants Commission, was described as “Islam's enemy”, the state minister as “traitor of Bangladesh”, DU Jahurul Haque Hall Provost Abu Md Delowar Hossain as “anti-Islam writer”, actress Shomi Kaiser as “Nastic”, Abu Musa M Masuduzaman as “anti-Islam worker”, DU acting Proctor AM Amjad as “defamer” and DU Arts Faculty Dean Akhtaruzzaman as “Islamic enemy”.

The DU acting proctor filed a general diary with Dhanmondi Police Station on Tuesday. Dhanmondi police had forwarded the copy of the general diary and the letter to different wings of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

On May 20, the same militant group in a letter threatened 10 other people, including DU Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Prof Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, DU Prof Kaberi Gayen and Asim Sarker, prime minister's adviser HT Imam, Awami League lawmaker Tarana Halim and spokesperson of a faction of Gonojagoron Mancha Imran H Sarker.

Shahbagh police investigated the matter initially, but failed to identify the culprits.

Later, the investigation was transferred to the Detective Branch of police, but they also could not make any headway as yet.