Lack of correct education behind Bangladesh's rising Islamic extremists

The current baseless demand by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh is due to lack of correct education and concocted sermons by their gurus or teachers in the madrasas, the core of religion-based politics.The audacity of the extremist groups against the life size sculptor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is not just politics being fomented by anti-government elements both at home and abroad. It is also a red alert to the people of the country that the evil called fundamentalists are making inroads with the ulterior motive if returning Bangladesh to Pakistan's radical Islam from a secular country.

Talking with some of the young among the extremist protestors it was found that they were indoctrinated with the wrong meaning of verses in the holy Koran to incite them to commit crimes like mutilating Bangabandhu's sculpture in Kushtia district.Many even do not have the idea why they are joining a protest, but only with the sermon of going to heaven by protecting Islam.In many of the madrasas, the students are mostly confined to the four walls, 24 hours 365 days, and have become a fertile ground for extremism or fundamentalist elements.

They are not taught the basics of life as laid down in the Koran like building good character, value of education and most importantly patriotism. Rampant cases of sodomy are proved with the very small number of incidents that reached the media. A handful of Islamic teachers preach against sodomy and on the other hand they are involved in such practices proving how lies are used to further their objectives of Islamic fundamentalism. In a recent webinar MJ Akbar, India's doyen in journalism and former union minister, said education is the key to change for any religion.

Islam in Bangladesh needs scholars of repute like the late Sir Syed Ahmed Khan for proper education of those in madrasas or involved in religious studies.He had said once that "do not blame Islam for the sins of Muslims (and) blame others for your own sins," meaning extremism or terrorism.

In Bangladesh, statistics show that at least some 2 million students are enrolled in Qawmi madrasas and another 3 million in Alia madrasas. Both kinds of madrassas have been mushrooming over the years mainly Qawmi ones as it does not have any government regulation in its curriculum or funding. It strangely refuses government funding and opting for private donations from organisations as well as individuals.The Alia Madrasas, on the other hand, have government role both in operation as well as funds.

A 2007 research on "Madrasas in Bangladesh" by Tiffany Ellis of the New Delhi-based Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies highlights the fact that Qawmi madrasas does not help Bangladesh's development or its education system, and its use of traditional education system generates incorrect beliefs that madrasas are archaic.

On the other hand, the study said Alia madrasas contribute to the country's education system or in other positive ways.Experts have stressed that a firm control on mushrooming Qawmi madrasas in setting a new one, education and funding is an urgent matter to put a tab on rising Islamic extremism in Bangladesh.

If educated with proper education, these 5 million or more students in religious schools like madrasas can contribute to nation-building activities instead of becoming extremists or even Jihadis.Akbar speaking recently on Indian Muslims at the Aligarh Muslim University's Centenary International Webinar said "we have the opportunity to actually become leaders of change across the world."

It is true for Bangladesh too when he says "We live in a nation where every morning begins with Azaan. I often tell visitors in Delhi that if they want to understand India, they must go to old Delhi in morning where they will first hear the Azaan, followed by the Hanuman temple bells, followed by the Granth Sahib recitation from the Gurudwara and followed by church bells on Sundays. That really is our country."

 "Modern actually captures the essence of Sir Syed's whole concept. He wanted to lift the community out of the fog of nostalgia and bring it to terms with the emerging world that was being created of colonialism. His education was of the past, he studied mathematics, classical music, painting, archery, medicine, but his curriculum was for the future, encapsulated in the scientific society, which he conceived in his approach to technology."

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan added Akbar, "faced many battles. Some of his battles took on angular characteristics. Some conservatives, who accused him of trying to change Islam, was an absurdity. An eternal truth cannot be changed. What he was trying to change was to change the Muslims; he was trying to change communities, both Hindus and Muslims through the most important instrument of change - education."

"Sir Syed extended the concept of brotherhood to all communities. He said that the colour of Muslim and Hindu blood is the same, we both breathe the same air, we both drink the water of the holy Ganga and we've shared the same customs," the celebrated journalist concluded.How wonderfully true as we are all children of God --- call him by any other name, Allah or Bhagavan or Ishar.This is the lesson that all madrasas or educational institutions of every faith in Bangladesh must be taught.The post-1975 regimes used Islam to cling to power, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party under jailed former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and helped boost extremism by killing the very basic pillar of the country --- secularism.

The government's tough stand on those fomenting violence by using a non-issue and a baseless interpretation of Islam currently that sculptures of humans is "un-Islamic" whereas it stands out in the world of art and science.Only recently, Turkey, has announced that a sculpture of Kemal Ataturk, the architect of the modern Muslim country, will be set up in Dhaka, while that of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Istanbul.

What will the extremists in Bangladesh say now?
The government must take an extreme tough stand to uproot these Islamic extremist elements to stop all kinds of efforts to turn Bangladesh into a fundamentalist Muslim country destroying Bangabandhu's "Sonar Bangladesh" for which our heroes, the Freedom Fighters, sacrificed their lives.

Nadeem Qadir is UN Dag Hammarskjold Fellow, Senior Journalist, Columnist, Writer and Former Minister (Press), Bangladesh High Commission London