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‘Police watched while Avijit Roy was being killed’
Dhaka: The policemen on the Dhaka University campus did not act to save Bangladesh-born blogger-writer Avijit Roy but simply looked on while he was being killed, his widow Rafida Ahmed Banna said on Wednesday.
“While Avijit and I were being ruthlessly attacked, the local police stood close by but did not act,” Banna, who survived the February 26 attack, said on her Facebook account.
“Now, we demand that the Bangladeshi government do everything in its power to bring the murderers to justice.”
The couple, who had arrived in Dhaka from the US a few days before the incident, were returning from the Amar Ekushey Book Fair when they were attacked by machete-wielding assailants on the university campus, bdnews24.com reported.
Few hours after the attack, Roy died at the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital due to the deep gashes on his head. Banna suffered severe head wounds and one of her thumbs was sliced off.
Roy, a bio-engineer, had angered fundamentalists and received repeated death threats for writing against religious fanaticism.
Banna, a US citizen, is now in the US after the state department arranged her return.
She had earlier told her father-in-law, renowned professor Ajay Roy, that she remembers the attackers’ faces and will be able to identify them.
According to her, there were at least five of them, all around 25 years of age. “They were in jeans and T-shirts. None had beards,” the professor said.
Roy never believed that an attack so heinous could take place on the campus, reputed to be a space for progressive movements and the place where he grew up, Banna wrote.
The detective branch has been investigating the murder with assistance from the FBI.
On March 3, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested “fundamentalist blogger” Farabi Shafiur Rahman, a prime suspect.
Detectives said they have been trying to find out if the attack was carried out by his followers or Farabi himself.
He was earlier arrested for inciting attacks on bloggers on social media after blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death in 2013.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.