The US has condemned the latest "barbaric" killing in Bangladesh of an outspoken opponent of radical Islam and says it is considering granting refuge to a select number of bloggers who face imminent danger.
Assailants hacked and shot to death 28-year-old law student Nazimuddin Samad on Wednesday night on a street in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka.
The unidentified attackers shouted "Allahu Akbar", or "Allah is great", and escaped by motorcycle.
At least five secular bloggers and publishers were killed in similar attacks last year.
That has heightened concern that religious extremists are getting a foothold in Bangladesh, a Muslim country with traditions of secularism and tolerance, and that authorities are failing to provide protection.
In December, US-based human rights groups urged the US to offer "humanitarian parole" for Bangladeshi writers targeted by extremists for their secular beliefs.
Karin Deutsch Karlekar of PEN America reiterated that call to the US and other countries on Thursday, saying that Samad's killing "is a cruel illustration of the costs of inaction".
US State Department spokesman Mark Toner strongly condemned the "barbaric murder" of Samad and told reporters the US offers "unwavering support to the Bangladeshi people in their struggle against violent extremism".
He said that humanitarian parole for a select number of bloggers who continue to be under "imminent danger" is one option under consideration, but referred questions on it to the Homeland Security Department.
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