Mamata Banerjee condemns the brutal murder of American- Bangladeshi blogger

KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today condemned the brutal murder of American- Bangladeshi blogger Avijit Roy, saying everyone has the freedom of speech and expression.

"He has been killed in a brutal manner. I condemn it," Banerjee said at a programme here.

"I have no language of consolation for the bereaved family. You cannot stop the right to speak. It is a democratic right. We strongly protest the sad death of the Bangladeshi blogger," she said.

Roy, known for his critique of religious extremism, was hacked to death in the Dhaka University area by machete- wielding assailants who attacked the Bangladeshi-origin writer as he was returning from the book fair with his wife last week.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the Charukala Utsav, where he felicitated artistes and painters with Shilpi Samman Award.