by Sumon Corraya

Ovidio Marandy, an ethnic Santhal, died last Saturday in Gobindoganj (northern Bangladesh). He had organised a demonstration in his village after Islamic extremists had set it on fire to punish Christians for voting in the 5 January election.

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - Islamists murdered Ovidio Marandy, a young ethnic Santhal Catholic man, last Saturday in Gobindoganj, Gaibandha district (northern Bangladesh). His funeral was held today in the Beneedwar parish church.

A native of Beneedwar Parish (Diocese of Rajshahi), the young man was the younger brother of Fr Samson Marandy, a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Dinajpur.

According to his brother and other family members, Muslim radicals wanted to punish the young man, a well-known figure in the local Catholic community, because he had recently organised a demonstration in his village against Islamist violence.

On 5 January, hundreds of Islamic extremists stormed the homes of Christians in the dioceses of Rajshahi and Mymensigh because they had voted in the general election.

"Ovidio was very brave, and was famous in his community. We are shocked by what happened," said Fr Proshanto Gomes, a local priest. "Christians have the right to vote. Why are Islamists attacking us? We want peace."