Avijit murder Zia, Akram hiding abroad: Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said Sayed Md Ziaul Haque alias Major Zia, who was sacked from army, and Akram Hossain are hiding abroad.

The home minister came up with the disclosure a day after the United States' Department of State announced USD 5 million reward for information on the murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy and concurrent attack on his wife Rafida Ahmed in Dhaka in 2015.

The US statement said those responsible for the attack are believed to be in Bangladesh.

He said, “Court has sentenced five people, including Zia and Akram, to death and another to life in jail for killing Avijit Roy. We are looking for Zia and Akram but we have information that they're hiding overseas.”

The minister made the remarks while replying to query of journalists after an event in Manikganj this afternoon, reports our local correspondent.

He said Avijit Roy's murder has been properly investigated.

A group of Ansarullah Bangla Team had carried out the killing mission. At that time (2015), militants emerged in our country but law enforcing agencies have thwarted all militant activities, he added.

On February 26 in 2015, Avijit, a Bangladesh-born US citizen, was stabbed to death on Dhaka University campus when he, along with his wife Rafida Ahmed, was returning from the Ekushey book fair. Rafida survived the attack.

Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a militant group (now banned in Bangladesh), later claimed responsibility for the attack.

Avijit murder Zia, Akram hiding abroad: Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said Sayed Md Ziaul Haque alias Major Zia, who was sacked from army, and Akram Hossain are hiding abroad.

The home minister came up with the disclosure a day after the United States' Department of State announced USD 5 million reward for information on the murder of writer-blogger Avijit Roy and concurrent attack on his wife Rafida Ahmed in Dhaka in 2015.

The US statement said those responsible for the attack are believed to be in Bangladesh.

He said, “Court has sentenced five people, including Zia and Akram, to death and another to life in jail for killing Avijit Roy. We are looking for Zia and Akram but we have information that they're hiding overseas.”

The minister made the remarks while replying to query of journalists after an event in Manikganj this afternoon, reports our local correspondent.

He said Avijit Roy's murder has been properly investigated.

A group of Ansarullah Bangla Team had carried out the killing mission. At that time (2015), militants emerged in our country but law enforcing agencies have thwarted all militant activities, he added.

On February 26 in 2015, Avijit, a Bangladesh-born US citizen, was stabbed to death on Dhaka University campus when he, along with his wife Rafida Ahmed, was returning from the Ekushey book fair. Rafida survived the attack.

Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), a militant group (now banned in Bangladesh), later claimed responsibility for the attack.