Humayun Azad stabbed!

. PHOTO: STAR

I am curious to hear the home minister's explanation for the brutal stabbing of eminent writer Humayun Azad. In line with his recent comments that senior AL leaders hurt themselves by falling in the road during hartal and that the attack on Dr. Kamal was the fault of his own anti-government activists, perhaps the home minister will now try to persuade us that Azad's actually cut himself shaving. I look forward to his statement on the matter with interest.

The attack by unknown assailants on prominent writer Humayun Azad with butcher's knives in front of Bangla Academy has exposed our helplessness. "Fundamentalists have done this," said Azad's wife Latifa Kohinoor at the CMH. "Who else could do this? You know an MP even spat venom against him in parliament," she added. The allegation made by Prof Azad's wife should be taken into consideration.

If anything written by Prof. Azad does not comply with the norms of our society, we might seek the help of the judiciary. But in no way can we support any verdict delivered by a so-called religious leader . This section of people, religious leaders-turned-politicians, has been trying for a long time to turn our beloved country, which has an image as a peaceful nation , into a country of chaos and confusion. They are using religion for political purpose.

There are many highly respected and educated people having a deep knowledge of Islam . They should come forward and unveil the ignorance of the so-called religious leaders who have a hidden political agenda.

I urge the authorities concerned to safeguard people threatened by the fanatic forces.

Mallik Akram Hossain Hong Kong

I'm very much disappointed with the law and order situation in our country. The criminals are now targeting our writers , after journalists. Renowned writer Dr Humayun Azad was attacked by some miscreants and he was seriously wounded. Now what will our honourable home minister say? Writers and a journalists are the voice of the nation. A writer and a journalist have the right to write which is a fundamental right in a democratic country. After that attack on Dr. Azad naturally the question arises: where are we living? Is it a democratic country?

I demand exemplary punishment to the criminals responsible for the attack.

Dr. Chowdhury Jalal Uddin Murshed Rumi, Medical Officer, Diabetic Hospital, Sylhet

The brutal and heinous attack on a literary personality like Humayun Azad is an example of the fanatics' evil design . It also shows that we have failed miserably to deal with the menace of fundamentalism. Humayun Azad is a man who has developed new modalities in literature, art and culture which are very original and distinct and have been appreciated by the intelligentsia. He is an asset of our country and as well as of the world at large. His research-based writings have opened up new horizons for others and should be considered a milestone in the literary arena. An attack on him is nothing but an attack on education itself. If education is an indicator of any social progress, the attack on him is an 'inhuman aberration' on the part of the fundamentalists and zealots. These elements must be brought to justice and all fundamentalist activities must be banned in order to avoid senseless violence which causes so much harm to society.

Zahidul Karim, Dhaka, Lalmatia

It's not new...

Prasenjit Sarker, Mohammadpur, Dhaka

Everyday I go to the Bangla Academy Book Fair and pass some time in front of the Agami bookstall to see Mr. Humayun Azad and hear him chatting with the readers. I like him although I do not support all his ideas. On February 27 night I did the same. I came back at about 8:00pm. Everything was all right. But this shameful, shocking and frightening attack took place at about 9:30pm. In the past, Daud Haider and Taslima Nasrin had to leave the country. Poet Shamsur Rahaman was attacked too.

His new book Pak sar jamin sad bad has been published this year and it clearly perturbed the fundamentalist elements, including an MP of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Let us pray for both

Mohammad Zaman, Cary, North Carolina

Unknown assailants are not, in fact, unknown. They are not less known than the well-known professor. Trail of these assailants traverses a long sleeve of evil intrigue. Their trails are evident in the Pahela Baisakh blast at Ramna Botmul. Their trails are evident where the minority temples are trampled. Put plainly, they are rather omnipresent.

As I see the bloodied picture of Prof. Azad, I can visualise the sad events at the wee hours of our independence that were designed to maim an emerging nation, both culturally and intellectually. Alas! Over the years things have really changed, almost to the extent of 180 degree. Once again they are enthroned, while Prof. Azad and his ilk (I mean, the nation at large) are endangered.

They promised to get the killers of Pahela Baisakh, Did they?
They promised to get the temple-trampling thugs. Did they?

The honourable minister has promised to nab the assailants of Prof. Azad.

I tend to believe his no-nuance pronunciation.

But I wonder "CAN HE?"

I have not yet read Prof. Azad's Pak sar jamin sad bad. But I know, what it means. It is nothing but a regressive mortal culture hell bent to strangle "ALL" that we sought so dearly and fought for so valiantly in our struggle for independence!!

The near mortal wounds of Prof. Azad reminds me of a near-mortal national identity. Let us pray for both...

Protest from Canada

Lutfor Rahman Riton, Rezaur Rahman, Suman Rahman, Canada

The barbaric attack on Humayun Azad is a bloody example of how defiant the defeated evil forces of 1971 have become to implement their blueprint of eliminating the liberal free thinkers.

The greatest sons of the country must be protected from the murderous claws of the fundamentalists.