Gay Magazine Editor Hacked To Death Alongside Friend

Gay Magazine Editor Hacked To Death Alongside Friend

A local staff of USAID, who was one of the senior editors of the country’s first LGBT magazine, along his friend at his flat in Dhaka’s Kalabagan area India were murdered on Monday.

Editor of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender magazine (LGBT) ‘Roopbaan’, Xulhaz Mannan was known for his gay rights activism.

He had worked for USAID. He had also worked as a protocol officer of former US ambassador Dan Mozena for a long time.

Tanay Fahim, the other victim, is also a LGBT activists.

The incident took place two days into the grisly murder of a University teacher Rezaul Karim Siddiquee in the northern city. According to US-based SITE Intelligence Group, international militant group Islamic State claimed responsibility for the murder.

The assailants had rushed into Mannan’s flat and swooped him and his friend Tanay indiscriminately, Abdul Bari, a sub-inspector of Special Branch (SB) of police, told The Daily Star (india). The two of them were reported to have died on the spot.

Accomplishing their mission, the attackers fled in other communities (quoting locals.)

A patrol team of police tried to intercept the assailants as they were fleeing, but it was reported that one of the assailants attacked ASI [assistant sub-inspector] with a machete.

Describing the incident to The Daily Star, a witness said “I saw six to seven people rushing out of the building. Each of them was carrying bag packs.”

The body of Mannan was found lying at the entrance of the house while Tanay’s body was found inside.

During the attack, Mannan’s mother and a domestic help were present helpless.