Dhaka: ‘Zafar Iqbal is an enemy of Islam, that is why I tried to kill him. He is an atheist, he also promotes and encourages others to become an atheist. He does not have the right to turn other into nonbeliever,’ said Fayzur Rahman.

Fayzur Rahman, son of Atikul Islam, a resident of Sheikhpara area near Kumargaon Bus Stand adjacent to the university, from Kaliar Kapon village in Derai upazila of Sunamganj, made attack on Prof Zafar Iqbal, said Shafikul Islam Swapan, officer-in-charge of Jalalabad Police Station.

The attacker confessed his crime to the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) during the primary quizzing session.

Dr Zafar Iqbal, who was seriously injured in the knife attack on the campus on Saturday afternoon, is now undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka.

SUST Assistant Proctor Abu Hena Pahil said a young man, aged around 24-25, swooped on Prof Zafar Iqbal around 5:40pm while he was delivering his speech on the closing day of a two-day celebration programme, ‘Robofight,’ of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) department at Mukta Mancha.

The celebrated writer was first taken to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and kept at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where doctors said he was out of danger.

Later, Zafar Iqbal was airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka following the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An air ambulance carrying him left Osmani International Airport around 10:00pm.

A constable, Ibrahim, was also injured while trying to catch the attacker.

Soon after the incident, SUST students caught the attacker from the Shikkha Bhaban-1 after the attack and gave him a mass beating before handing him over to police.

Protesting the attack on the noted writer, general students of the university under the banner of Sammilito Sanskritik Jote will form a human chain in front of central library around 12:00pm.