19 Facts About Ajoy Roy

Ajoy Roy was a Bangladeshi professor of physics at the University of Dhaka, but was best known for his prominent role in Bangladesh's human rights activism and freethinking.

Ajoy Roy was one of the eminent educationists promoting secular humanism in Bangladesh.

Ajoy Roy was the founder and president of the Shishka Andolan Mancha and chairman of Shamriti Mancha.

Ajoy Roy was the member of advisory board of the Mukto-Mona, an internet forum of freethinkers, rationalists, sceptics, atheists and humanists of mainly Bengali and South Asian descent.

Ajoy Roy was an honorary associate of the Rationalist International, an organisation that defends rationalist ideas.

Ajoy Roy contributed as a columnist to the national newspapers of Bangladesh.

Ajoy Roy received his bachelor's degree and master's degree from Dhaka University, and took his Doctor of Philosophy degree in physical chemistry from Leeds University of England.

Ajoy Roy was among a group of teachers who formed an advanced centre of solid state physics and crystallography established in 1969 under the sponsorship of UNESCO.

Ajoy Roy's work led to the discovery of some fundamental processes in radiation chemistry of aliphatic and amino acids and their salts.

Ajoy Roy participated in many progressive movements in Bangladesh including Language movement of 1952, Mass Movement in 1969, and Non Co-operation movement of 1970 and most prominently, in the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 as a freedom fighter.

Ajoy Roy was one of the teachers of Dhaka University who were directly involved with the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, paramilitary as a member of Mukti Bahini involving in guerrilla warfare in Comilla border to fight against the West Pakistani army.

Ajoy Roy established several cultural organisations to inspire the freedom fighters where Mamunur Rashid and other noted actors took active part.

Ajoy Roy created control and monitoring cell at Dhaka before the election of 2008 to prevent similar atrocities on minority population of Bangladesh.

Ajoy Roy worked for the rights of the indigenous and hill people of Bangladesh.

Ajoy Roy translated the first chapter of Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion into Bengali and took active role to introduce Aroj Ali Matubbar, the rationalist, peasant-philosopher of Bangladesh in the west.

Ajoy Roy defended Taslima Nasrin and her plight in various essays.

Ajoy Roy worked to build up a science-based culture for rapid development of the country.

Ajoy Roy was one of the pioneers to organise Darwin Day rally at Dhaka.

Ajoy Roy received criticism for endorsing anti-Islamic activities referenced in Shah Ahmad Shafi's open letter named An Open Letter from Shah Ahmad Shafi to the Government and the Public related to the Shahbag protests in 2013.