When Radical Forces Grab a Secular Country!

 
We have sung our national anthem "Amar sonar Bangla, Ami Tomay Bhalobashi" (My golden Bengal, I love you) since our childhood till now. It was created by Nobel Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore who wrote the national anthem of India too. In this way a cultural bond between India and Bangladesh prevails historically.

Bangladesh became independent through the Liberation War of 1971 in which patriotic people of all religions participated irrespectively. Bangabandhu believed in equal rights for all people of the country. He viewed everyone from an identical angle of vision. We should live in peace with all our fellow citizens showing respect to each and everyone's religious practices and faith. We all are one. We all are Bengalis. "Banglar Hindu, Banglar Christian, Banglar Buddhists, Banglar Mussalmans, amra sobai Bangali" (The Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and Muslims of Bengal are all one. We all are Bengalis)-it was the baseline of unity during the Liberation War of 1971 which consolidated harmony and amity throughout Bangladesh at that crucial time. We should uphold the spirit of 1971 and bear a non-communal mindset all the way ahead.

Jamaat-E-Islami is a political party that clearly opposed the Liberation War of 1971, killed civilians, intellectuals and committed war crimes like the Nazi Party of Germany during the Second World War. Jamaat-E-Islami joined the national election of 1979 and won six seats while Ziaur Rahman was President. It may be recalled that Gono Jagaran Mancha was launched by the country's youths in 2013 with the demand for prosecuting war criminals. But some toady insiders of the government who have secret links with anti-independence quarters destroyed Gono Jagaran Mancha. Razakars, Al Badar, Al Shams all these anti-liberation groups were formed under the supervision of Jamaat-E-Islami during 1971.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party's (BNP) commitment to the spirit of 1971 was debased when they allied with Jamaat.

Questions and speculations have come up about allowing Jamaat-E-Islami to hold a rally in Dhaka a couple of days ago. Jamaat-E-Islami directly opposed the independence of Bangladesh. Jamaat and Hefazat-E-Islam both are extremist religious parties. Hefazat-E-Islam violently demonstrated against the arrival of Indian Premier Narendra Modi in March 2021 to participate in the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangladesh's independence golden jubilee. Seventeen people were killed in the demonstrations of Hefazat-E-Islam while many government offices were burned and ransacked by Hefazat activists. The violence between Hefazat activists and law and order forces on 5 May 2013 still haunts us. There were countrywide bomb attacks on courts by militants in August 2005.

Jamaat reappeared in Bangladesh's political field in 1979 when Ziaur Rahman withdrew ban on religion-based political parties. However, the Election Commission scrapped Jamaat's registration in October 2018. The High Court had declared Jamaat's registration illegal in 2013.

Hefazat-E-Islam wants Bangladesh to be administered by Shariah law. Hefazat leaders do not believe in manmade laws.

Now suspicion has emerged whether there is any compromise between parties like Hefazat and Jamaat and the government. If the government gives undue privileges to Hefazat and Jamaat it will endanger the secular base of Bangladesh and will adversely affect the upcoming election too. It should be scrutinized who from inside the government is backing up religious extremists like Hefazat-E-Islam and Jamaat. Even the foreign friendly countries who support us should play their role to resist the rise of radical groups. Hefazat leaders also spoke against women emancipation comparing women with tamarind. The severe clash between Hefazat activists and the law and order forces in Dhaka in May 2013 at Shapla Chattar still haunts us.

Our literature is enriched with different writers and poets most of whom are from West Bengal. We love both Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Both hail from West Bengal. Both these poets promoted unity and brotherhood in their poems. Kazi Nazrul Islam wrote in one poem, "The religious bigots have locked down the mosques and temples. Break them down with hammers and shovels." Rabindranath Tagore wrote our national anthem but the extremist Islamic organizations do not pay due respect to our national anthem and national flag allegedly. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman shifted Kazi Nazrul Islam to Bangladesh in 1973 and made Nazrul our National Poet.

The radical forces in Bangladesh were delighted to see Taliban capture power in Afghanistan. Taliban militants grabbed power in Afghanistan right after the departure of United States troops and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) forces from Afghanistan. The fanatical groups in Bangladesh expressed their joy on social media, particularly on Facebook, over the return of Taliban.

The communal violence that broke out in some districts during the Durga Puja of 2021 debased our communal harmony. The desecration of Holy Quran in one puja venue was a conspiracy by radical groups to trigger communal turbulence. It was very much shocking that the idols of goddess Durga were vandalized in some places. Tough actions should be taken against the culprits who are responsible for these misdeeds.

Fanatical groups smashed goddess Durga's idols in Cumilla, Chittagong, Khulna, Noakhali and some other districts. Chittagong is a hotspot of religious bigotry. Hefazat-E-Islam is headquartered in Chittagong. Islam being the state religion of Bangladesh has caused most of the perils according to prominent citizens. Big countries like India, Indonesia, Malaysia, United States of America, United Kingdom-none of these countries have any state religion. Communal gangs set fire on Hindu people's houses in Rangpur on 18 October 2021.

Socio-economic justice and equity were the main watchwords with which the glorious Liberation War was fought. Keeping this in view we should keep away from generating discrimination in our country on religious or any other basis. We do not want any isolation to take place between the believers of different religions in our country. It opposes the ideals with which the Liberation War was fought and it contradicts with the ideology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The government should consider religious minorities as part of the nation's mainstream in terms of education, healthcare, jobs and all other aspects. All the Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, ethnic clans and indigenous tribes of Bangladesh are equal. Everybody deserves to be treated on equal terms. There is no space for disparities or inequity.

Hefazat-E-Islam demonstrated against the statue of Lady Justice which was located in front of Supreme Court. Hefazat leaders and activists spoke against the sculptures of Lalon, Oporajeyo Bangla and some other statues in different areas of Bangladesh including Dhaka city. Hefazat leaders spoke against women empowerment too comparing women with tamarind.

Hefazat leaders run all the qawmi madrassas of Bangladesh but these madrassas do not offer global standard academic lessons like Aligarh University of India or Al Azhar University of Egypt.

Radical groups are motivated by the speeches of controversial preachers like Delwar Hossain Saiydee, Mizanur Rahman Azhari and Dr. Zakir Naik. It may be recalled that the militants who attacked Holey Artisan Café in July 2016 were inspired by the speeches of Dr. Zakir Naik. Mawlana Mizanur Rahman Azhari's speeches have become viral on social media. In some of the gatherings of Mawlana Mizanur Rahman Azhari, he converts non-Muslims into Muslims which is deplorable. Around 15 to 20 lakh people gather at the sermons of Mawlana Mizanur Rahman Azhari whereas much less number of people are seen in political rallies.

Lack of equal rights obstructs development and hinders the prevalence of democracy. Immortal leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King combated all their life for equal privileges for people of all religions and races. Socio-economic discrepancies between men and women, rich and poor, believers and nonbelievers weaken a nation and blur its prospects. A nation moves forward at a faster pace when everyone is united firmly. We should take a look at the prosperous nations around the globe and take lessons from their unity, fraternity, good governance and socio-political fairness.

Communalism remains a threat to the subcontinent through ages. The troublemakers responsible for communal predicaments are still active. For this reason communal divides still prevail. Communal groups are active on social media too. Some facebook pages are run by communal political fronts to provoke antagonism against religious minorities and progressive people.

A number of American Congressmen expressed worries in 2019 about the rise of communal outfits in South Asia including Bangladesh. Jamaat and Hefazat-E-Islam are two most radical Islamist groups in Bangladesh. Hefazat-E-Islam leaders were found categorically speaking against women rights on different occasions. Hefazat leaders denounce Pahela Baishakh too and thus they oppose the cultural heritage of Bangladesh. Bangladesh government compromised with Hefazat-E-Islam a couple of years ago which cannot be supported.

The present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina firmly believes in the principles of humanity and upholds the spirit of the Liberation War. Therefore, we can hope the government will be successful in wiping out communal entities from Bangladesh and will eliminate all other forms of vices and violence to fortify peace and stability.

Bangladesh has sheltered over one million Rohingya refugees. Unfortunately these Rohingyas have got involved in various criminal activities. These refugees are most likely to pack hands with Hefazat-E-Islam and other radical outfits to destabilize the country.

Bangladesh should stand out in the world with a non-communal posture. There should be no hatred or discrimination towards religious minorities. The authorities concerned should make the best of their efforts to drive Bangladesh forward sustaining fraternity within the people of all religious beliefs.

Allegations show that some ghostly figures including some immoral and vested bureaucrats inside the government are responsible for misguiding the government on vital phenomena and degrading democratic values. Democracy, transparency, good governance and development cannot be detached from each other. This diabolic flock is trying to involve Bangladesh in the ominous financial gambits of China. A country's democratic process faces impediments if good governance cannot prevail smoothly. Besides, good governance, human rights cannot be constituted without accountability in all organizations belonging to government and private sectors. Everything in a democratic state is done for the betterment of people. An all-inclusive approach to socio-economic and political well-being of the nation is the only way to provide required services to the people and this is an indispensable prerequisite for prosperity and retaining sovereignty. Sustaining a pro-people attitude is a very big obligation for ensuring equal rights for all citizens and for the establishment of social justice at all walks of life and to make independence and sovereignty stronger and more meaningful.

It should be noted that most part of Bangladesh's financial sector is at present controlled by individuals who believe in radical ideology. They pay 20%-30% of their profits to the government's beneficiaries which is how they have consolidated their position much more firmly than dedicated and hard working policymakers and devoted Awami League leaders.

While concluding, a few words of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk can be quoted who was the father of modern Turkey and once said, "I have no religion, and at times I wish all religions at the bottom of the sea. He is a weak ruler who needs religion to uphold his government; it is as if he would catch his people in a trap. My people are going to learn the principles of democracy, the dictates of truth and the teachings of science." We should follow the above words and establish secularism in Bangladesh in its true sense.

Shoeb Chowdhury is Chairman, Editorial Board of The Asian Age.