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Hunted By Death Squads, A Gay Activist In Bangladesh Refuses To Be Silenced

"I want to fight till my death—that is how freedom can be achieved."

The brutal murder of Xulhaz Mannan, a gay magazine editor in Bangaldesh, has sent shockwaves through the country's LGBT community, as many members fear for their own safety.

"In the eyes of Islam [being gay] is a severely punishable offense," one activist, Bappy, tells NDTV. Homosexuals "are called the meanest creature of God and must be killed."

Using a pseudonym and only appearing off-camera, Bappy says he worked for Roopban magazine, as well. After Mannan was found hacked to death in his apartment, though, the staff went into hiding.

"Roopban published a magazine and organized events. They started publishing books... they tested for sexually transmitted diseases and promoted safe sex," he explains. But now, "they are switching off their phones. They are deactivating their Facebook IDs and other networks."

They can't even look to the police for help, he says. "[They] are hostile to us."

Indeed, while Mannan's murderers are still at large, authorities arrested four activists at Rainbow Rally, Dhaka's informal Pride gathering, held every spring.

Al Qaeda has taken credit for the attack, but the police say the killers, caught on CCTV fleeing Mannan's apartment, are part of Ansarullah Bangla Team, a local Islamist group accused of killing a number of secular bloggers.

Mannan worked for the U.S. mission in Dhaka, and Ambassador Marcia Bernicat has called on the government to bring his killers to justice.

Despite the danger, Bappy says he and others like him won't be silenced.

"We had many hard working people in this movement and we wanted to establish justice," he says.

"I feel that from the bottom of my heart and I want to fight till my death and that is how freedom can be achieved. Without blood, without fighting, there is no freedom."

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