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The Minority Situation in Bangladesh (October 2002)

The Minority Situation in Bangladesh (October 2002)

Author:
Publication: www.mayerdak.com
Date: October 18, 2002
URL: http://www.mayerdak.com/minsitoct2002.htm

While the media spotlight has been focused on Pakistan and Afghanistan, the rise of Islamic extremism in nearby Bangladesh has not attracyed sufficient notice. Minority Hindus, Buddhist, Christians, Tribals, and liberal minded Muslims are under threat as religious intolerance takes hold following the victory of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) in the October 2001 elections.

The BNP is led by Khaleda Zia, widow of the assasinated military dictator General Zia, who amended the original Constitution, replacing secularism with the "Sovereignty of Allah". The Islamic supremacist Jamaat-e-Islami party is a key consituent in her governing coalition. The party has argued that strict Islamic sharia law should be implemented in Bangladesh, just as it was by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Jamaat collaborated with Pakistan during the bloody 1971 war of liberation, in which 3 million civilians were murdered.

Mrs Savitri a Hindu housewife was gang raped by right wing Islamic zealots in front of her husband, who was tied up and beaten. She was 5 months pregnat at that time. Village: Chandshi, Gournadi, Barisal District; (Immediately after the 2001 Bangladesh elections)

Recent incidents of the ongoing persecution on the religious minorities in Bangladesh by religious Islamic fundamentalist outfits, reported by Mayer Dak correspondents based there, are listed below: -

(1) 21st September 2002, at the Chandpur district of Bangladesh, in the Kaladi village of the Matlab Corporation area, a Hindu villager Manjurani (48) who is the wife of Sukumar Chandra has been severely injured by tow Muslim fterrrorists named Jalil Majhi and Ataul Majhi. They chopped off Manjurani's tongue. Besides, they looted all the furnitures and valuable goods from Sukumar Chandra's house. At present, Manjurani is under treatment in the Chandpur hospital. A case has been filed at the nearby police station.

(2) 14th September 2002, at Bangladesh in the Norail district under Noragoti police station, a Hindu villager named Ramkrishna Pal (35) of the Mohajon village has been brutally murdered by radical Islamic fundamentalists. His corpse was found at the nearby pond.

(3) 18th September 2002, the two daughters of Haralal Das, Kajalrani Das (31) and Rupallibala Das (17) staying at the Karbishnupur village under the Shonagagi police station of the Feni district has been gang-raped by a group of right wing Islamic fundamentalists. The leader of this fundamentalist gang has been arrested by the police who is a popular man of that locality. The name of the arrested person is Abul Bashar.

Bangladesh's Islamic radical groups idolize Osama Bin Laden, the founder of Al Queda, the international right wing Islamic network that wants to establish the supremacy of Islam all over the world.

(4) 9th September 2002, At the Brahmanberia district of Bangladesh, Kandipara's Ananda Saha is a owner of a Hindu temple. His family priest was threatened by reactionary Muslims by sharp weapons. Afterwards, they took away all the properties of the temple by force.

(5) 19th July 2002, at the Barishal district of Bangladesh, in Agoiljhara Christian-palli some right wing Islamic radicals attacked members of the Christian community, destroyed four houses and mercilessly injured seven persons. Those seven men are now seriously injured.

(6) 11th September 2002, at the Lakkhipur district of Bangladesh, in the Kabirajbari area of Bhangakha union several Hindu families were tortured by Muslim fundamentalists. Tow Hindu girls named Shikha rani Saha (16) and Shiulirani Saha (14) has been forcefully kidnapped. Their father Janardan Saha tried to save his daughters, but was unfortunately shot by the Islamic radicals. At the present moment, he has been hospitalised and his life is in danger.

Rita Rani Das, a 8 year old Hindu girl was gang raped by activists of the rabidly communal Jamaat-E-Islami, one of the constituents of the present Bangladesh government. Her village of Annada Prasad under Char Lal Mohan in Bhola district was attacked in October 2001; Rita ram for her life, but the Muslim zealots caugt and she was raped by multiple adult males.

(7) 9th September 2002, at the Bogura district of Bangladesh in Karunakanda Uchcha Vidyalaya of the Gabtoli sub-district, a Hindu named Dwijendranath Mali (65), the night guard of the school has been murdered by a group of muslim terrorists.

(8) 7th September 2002, at the Naugaon district of Bangladesh in Sultanpur Sagarika Das (18), the wife of a Hindu fisherman of that area has been kidnapped by a group of right wing Muslim fundamentalists. Sagarika's mother in law wanted to save her and became seriously injured.

(9) 11th September 2002, at the Coxbazar district near Ukhia sub-districts of Motherbunia region local Islamic fundamentalists of the Chakma para attacked several houses. The houses were looted and destroyed. Three buddhist Chakma woman were gang raped by the Muslim fundamentalists. ''Ka Ja Ching'' the local Chakma leader have requested the district magistrate and the Prime Minister for security.

(10) 15th September 2002, at the Netrokona district of Bangladesh in the Shahabazpur village of the Purbadhala sub-district a right wing Islamic reactionary gang has demanded one lakh rupees (U.S. $2,000) from the Hindu villager Nikhil Chandra Devnath as Zizia tax (tax imposed by Muslims on non_Muslims). If he refuses to pay the tax, he has been threatened with death.

The Bangladesh government is hard-pressed to defend the West's charges of harbouring terrorists.

(11) 23th September 2002, at the Nator district of Bangladesh, in the Haroa village of the Baraigram sub-district the an Islamic fundamentalist gang attacked two Christain families. Their houses were destroyed and looted. Hindru Cruz and Babul Cruz's houses have been captured by Ershad Ali who is a local Islamic leader. 30 armed Muslim terrorists attacked their houses, two Christian women were made fully naked and beaten up mercilessly.

(12) 24th September 2002, at the Gopalgunge district of Bangladesh, the district correspondent of ''Dainik Prothom Alo'' a Mr. Subroto Saha, a Hindu has been murdered by Islamic fanatics.
 


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