Dhaka, Nov. 5 (AFP): The secular Bangladeshi publisher who survived a horrific weekend attack at the hands of suspected Islamist extremists has vowed to continue his work.

Ahmedur Rashid Tutul was chatting with two writers in the office of his publishing firm in Dhaka on Saturday, when a group of young men with machetes and meat cleavers stormed the building.

"Before we could realise what was happening they started hacking us indiscriminately," the 43-year-old said from his heavily guarded hospital bed.

His attackers, one of whom had visited the firm earlier posing as a book buyer, left the three victims lying in a pool of blood and locked the door from outside. Tutul said the brutal violence had only left him "more determined" to publish controversial books in the face of rising extremism.

"Once I recover, I will continue my work," he said, visibly struggling with the pain.