Dipan believed in books' power to revitalise society
Slain publisher's father tells memorial discussion adding that his son was not anti-Islam
Growing up in a house full of books, Faisal Arefin Dipan had a lifelong fascination for books. He believed that books could rejuvenate a society, a state and a nation.
That's why he chose to become a publisher although his parents wanted him to become a public servant. Dipan's father Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq, a professor of Dhaka University, said these at a commemorative meeting organised by Bangladesh Pustak Prakashak O Bikreta Samity yesterday in the capital's Banglabazar.
Dipan, owner of Jagriti Prokashani, was hacked to death in his office at Shahbagh on October 31. In a similar attack around the same time, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, owner of Shuddhoswar, writer Ranadipam Basu and blogger Tareq Rahim were injured in Lalmatia.
Both Dipan and Tutul published secular writer Avijit Roy, who was slain by suspected Islamists in Dhaka in February.
Prof Abul Quasem said Avijit and Dipan were childhood friends.
“That's why when Avijit asked him to publish his books he didn't refuse,” he said.
“But that does not mean that Dipan was against Islam or against any religion,” he added.
He also observed that Dipan was aware of the contribution of Islam in the advancement of civilisation and some of his other publications were a testament to that fact.
Referring to his earlier comments that he would not seek legal redress for his son's murder, he said, “But I have not created any hurdle in the path of justice either.”