WASHINGTON, DC—Representative Eliot L. Engel, the leading Democrat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement on the murder of Bangladeshi-American writer Avijit Roy:

“I’m shocked and saddened to learn of the brutal murder of Avijit Roy, a Bangladeshi-American writer, and I convey my deepest condolences to Roy’s wife, Rafida Ahmed—who was also seriously wounded in the attack—and to his friends and family. Mr. Roy’s killers used machetes to murder him because of his opposition to religious extremism. Though his killers have tried to silence Roy’s call for tolerance, his murder has instead amplified his critical message. I urge the Administration and Bangladeshi authorities to make every possible effort to bring those responsible to justice.”

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