US agency announces $5m reward for info on Avijit killing

Rewards for Justice, a programme of the US State Department, has announced a reward of up to $5 million for information on the killing of Avijit Roy and the concurrent attack on Rafida Bonya Ahmed in Dhaka.

The programme made the announcement on its website and social media handles.

On February 26, 2015, Bangladesh-born US citizens and married couple Avijit and Rafida were visiting Dhaka to attend a book fair when they were attacked by unidentified assailants with machetes. Avijit was killed and his wife survived with critical injuries.

“As an author, blogger, and activist, Roy challenged fundamentalism in Bangladesh by advocating for freedom of expression. He coordinated international protests to raise awareness of the plight of imprisoned atheist bloggers in Bangladesh and was a well-known critic of social repression. He was targeted and killed for his outspoken beliefs and activism,” read the notice issued by Rewards for Justice.

“Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a Bangladeshi terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. ABT seeks to radicalize youths to kill those deemed by them to be anti-Islamic. Shortly thereafter, Asim Umar, the now-deceased leader of al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), posted a widely circulated video claiming that AQIS followers, including those who have yet to be arrested, were responsible for the attack on Roy and Ahmed,” it added.

On July 1, 2016, the US Department of State designated AQIS as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended.

Previously, on June 30, 2016, the Department of State designated AQIS as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist pursuant to Executive Order 13224, as amended, the notice said.

As a result, all of AQIS’s property and interests in property subject to US jurisdiction are blocked, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with AQIS. It is a crime to knowingly provide, or to attempt or conspire to provide, material support or resources to AQIS, the notice said.

Those responsible for the attack are believed to be in Bangladesh, it added.

A telephone number and a twitter handle were also provided for contacting Rewards for Justice.