The life of a threatened blogger

Born and raised in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Ananya loves his city so much that he doesn't really want to find a new home elsewhere. But he doesn't want to stop writing either. And that makes Bangladesh's capital an unsafe place for the 24-years-old. So, in order to live he has to leave.

It is sentences like these that put Ananya's life at risk. The blogger is a "free thinker" - he believes that everyone is allowed to choose whether to believe or not in any religion. For not only thinking, but also writing these thoughts publicly, violent Islamist fundamentalists have threatened his life. After killing three other bloggers in 2015, Ananya was told he was next.

84 bloggers' names were published by the fundamentalists on a hit list - nine have been killed since 2013, many others have stopped writing. As his fellow bloggers were murdered in broad daylight, when Ananya goes outside he wears this helmet. He hopes it means he will be less easily recognizable and will also protect him from sudden machete blows.

Those targeted don't always criticize religion or religious involvement in politics; many blog about history or literature or use science-based arguments to analyze the Quran. Bangladesh's secular government has not only failed to protect secular bloggers and effectively prosecute attackers, but has even taken action to censor or block their blogs and to imprison the writers.

During the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, Bengalis sought independence from Pakistan. Radical Islamist groups fought on the side of the Pakistani Army, many committing atrocities including rape and killings. In 2013, people took to Dhaka's Shahbag Square to demand tougher sanctions for the war criminals. In turn, Islamists published the "hit list", targeting the protest-initiating bloggers.

"You will be next, stay safe." It took Ananya some time to understand the meaning of his father's last words. Humayun Azad was also attacked on the streets of Dhaka for writing about an Islamist fundamentalist group having ties to the Pakistani army. When he went into exile to recover, Ananya stayed behind - and started writing himself.

Following repeated threats in recent months, via phone, text messages and social media, Ananya stopped most of his blogging activities and prefers to stay indoors. Moving around in Dhaka means constant fear for Ananya and so the only place outside where he feels almost safe is the rooftop of the house he's living in.

Even though he's scared, Ananya is determined not to let fear hold him back. He continues writing and defending his freedom of expression against fundamentalists. His book, which addresses issues of gender discrimination and human behavior, is due to be published in 2016. "I am hopeful that one day this country will change," Ananya says.