On April 6, 2016, Nazimuddin Samad, a Bangladeshi blogger and law student at Jagannath University, was killed near the Ekrampur intersection in Lakshmibazar, Old Dhaka, while returning to his mess residence after attending classes. He was attacked with sharp weapons and shot by militants in a targeted assault.
Nazimuddin was known for his secular writings and criticism of religious extremism on social media. His killing took place during a period of escalating attacks on bloggers, writers, publishers, and activists in Bangladesh claimed or linked to extremist groups.
The day after the killing, a case was filed by Sub-Inspector Md. Nurul Islam of Sutrapur Police Station. After a four-year investigation, the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Unit submitted a charge sheet in August 2020 against nine individuals, including dismissed army major Syed Md. Ziaul Haque Zia, who authorities identified as a key figure linked to extremist activities.
The case is being tried under the Anti-Terrorism Tribunal in Dhaka. In June 2024, charges were formally framed against four accused individuals, including Ziaul Haque Zia, and trial proceedings began. Five other accused named in the charge sheet were discharged after the court found insufficient grounds to proceed against them.
As of May 2026, ten years after the killing, the trial remained unfinished and was still at the witness testimony stage. Court records showed that only one witness testimony had been recorded in the ten months following the framing of charges. The next hearing date was scheduled for May 19, 2025.
Nazimuddin Samad’s killing remains part of a broader pattern of targeted violence against secular bloggers and activists in Bangladesh, with ongoing concerns regarding delays in judicial proceedings and accountability in cases involving extremist attacks.