United States asks Bangladesh to ensure secure environment to its citizens

Washington: Raising concerns over the recent spate of attacks on secular bloggers and minorities, the US has asked Bangladesh to ensure a “secure environment” to all its citizens. [caption id=“attachment_2749378” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A man holds a portrait of Bangladeshi professor Rezaul Karim Siddique, who was hacked to death by unidentified attackers, in Rajshahi. AFP[/caption] “Our focus remains on urging the government of Bangladesh to provide a more secure environment for all of its citizens, one that nurtures the spirit of the people of Bangladesh and the pride with which they guard their own traditions of tolerance, peace, and diversity,” State Department spokesperson John Kirby said on Monday. “We are going to continue to do that (raise concerns), and I don’t have more specific initiatives to lay before you, but I can tell you that we are watching this very closely and we are in touch,” he said. In a recent spate of attacks, a liberal professor, an editor and gay activist, a student and a Hindu tailor were killed and in most of the cases Islamic State or al-Qaeda in Indian sub continent have claimed the attacks.