The essence of terror

Just as Bangladesh started to feel secure again, we are experiencing a new and bloody wave of terror here.

Last fall foreigners were  the target of the terrorists. Now liberal Bangladeshis are the prey.

Last week three people were killed because one of them loved music (he was a professor), the other two worked for human rights (they were gay). 

Yesterday a Hindu taylor was killed for derogatory Muslim comments four years ago.

All recent killings and numerous previous ones were conducted by assailants cutting their victims' necks with a machete. 

Extremely brutal and cruel. 

After the attacks, the killers just disappear in the busy streets or nobody sees them in the empty streets.

Extremely strange and scary. The essence of terror.

I talked to a local person who is really afraid.  This person represents many of the Bengalis I know and like: they are liberal, have traveled widely, educated, are not extremely religious.

My acquaintance is now afraid of walking in the streets, has stopped posting on Facebook and beefs up security measures at home and at work.

I have a feeling that in Dhaka's streets there are more and more women totally or almost totally covered. A burkha could save my acquaintance's life but kill her soul.