Afsan Chowdhury
Ramu: When shame is not enough
bdnews24.com
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Hundreds and thousands of Muslims recently took to the streets protesting the anti-Islamic film which was made in the USA and that has spewed violence in many parts of the world. In Bangladesh too massive rallies have been held protesting the movie so Bangladeshi ‘Muslims’ are clearly declaring which side they are on. Now that the Buddhists’ holy places have been vandalized and property stolen, it would be interesting to see how many Muslims here take to the streets to protest this sacrilege. It is important because Muslims are forever claiming to be victims but they are very silent when they commit the same barbaric acts on people of other faiths. We were not particularly concerned about how Arabs behave but this is Bangladesh in South Asia and we are committed constitutionally to protect all. The Ramu attack has challenged that basic principle and that is why it is so serious.
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The Awami League response has been to blame it all on the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami which is a fine lesson on how to be and sound pathetic. It is the responsibility of the government to make sure that nothing happens and it has happened during their watch. They have such a wide network of spies and security agents so how come they never sensed anything? Or is it true what some people are saying on the street that the AL waited for the attack to happen so that they could blame the JI and the BNP to collect electoral brownie points? It would seem that the Government’s trust factor is substantially diminished and even the flow of benefit of doubt is being obstacled.
That the Government did know about the local MP who was anti-minority is absurd. It was not possible to gather so many to attack specific targets without a pre-plan but this seemed to have escaped the notice of the law enforcement agencies which is remarkable. We know that the law enforcement agencies are ineffective unless they are told to be so by the authorities so why they didn’t act is a mystery. And this makes the government looks terribly suspicious.
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As for the BNP, it exists beyond shame. This is the party which allowed Jamaat-e-Islami to enter national politics just for political gain and now has become a partner to gain power. It shall be remembered as a party friendly to traitors and even now backing the Jamaat it shows how little it cares about the constitutional and moral obligations to the people. God alone knows from which bottomless pit of human degradation it draws its principles from. It supports a party that is committed to the denial of rights to all except their own kind of Muslims and bigotry and racism is structured as a faith element. It is convenient politics but immoral and vile as well and history shows such political constructs in the end collapse. Meanwhile, the strongest condemnation for the political company they keep and the cynicism they have displayed all along.
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And so what of Jamaat-e-Islami? We have always argued that they have no space in Bangladesh or its politics. They have opposed the birth of Bangladesh so how can they be allowed to flourish in the same land whose birth they tried to end? It defies all logic but once one understands how Bangladesh functions, it becomes obvious. That doesn’t make the matter acceptable. The case for banning Jamaat is always there but what is required is the political will. If the AL can risk such a great deal of political uncertainty by passing the 15th amendment, why can’t it risk almost universal approval by denying Jamaat to be in Bangladesh?
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After all the words are spent, what remains behind is the shame. We have allowed this to happen again and again. A fanatical, bigoted and backward people with a mindset of the 6th century, we don’t deserve Bangladesh. We didn’t need a new version of old Pakistan where more people die from internecine religious conflict than any other and it is perpetually mired in a medieval world of its own.
Bangladesh was to be the exact opposite but thanks to inefficiency, corruption, bigotry and religious excess, we have failed to build a state we could be proud of. For us there is only disgust.
On behalf of all who accept what we have said, our sincerest and humblest apology to the people who have suffered in particular and to all minorities in general.
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Afsan Chowdhury is the Executive Editor, bdnews24.com
(The opinions expressed below are those of the writer's and do not necessarily reflect that of bdnews24.com. bdnews24.com accepts no responsibility, legal or otherwise, for the accuracy or content of member comments.) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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We are really unlucky to be born in a country where there isn’t minimum respect for neither the minority people nor history.
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Ironically, a freedom fighter rehabilitated all the forces against which he himself fought and witnessed his comrades die — some in his own arms. Who can deny what Afsan Chowdhury has written, “As for the BNP, it exists beyond shame. This is the party which allowed Jamaat-e-Islami to enter national politics just for political gain and now has become a partner to gain power. It shall be remembered as a party friendly to traitors and even now backing the Jamaat it shows how little it cares about the constitutional and moral obligations to the people…..”
I would say, the incumbent government is guilty of inefficiency and corruption in many instances, but they are never guilty of encouraging the extremist forces. Of course, the government has miserably failed to protect the interest of a minority group and maintain a semblance of law and order in this case.
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The bottom line is we are no longer a civilized nation.
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How could you disgrace a religion because of these Jamaat guys? Islam never allows this type of violence neither does any other religion. Please give your comments in a way where you do not hurt anybody’s religion. We do not have this right.
Ramu attack is very much disgraceful for us as a nation. The Govt should ensure minimum commitment for minorities always. But in Bangladesh, we couldn’t find any government that can take this responsibility.
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*******
জ্বালিয়ে দিলে পুড়িয়ে দিলে
আগুন দিলে ঘরে
সেই বনহি ছড়িয়ে যাবে
তোমারই অন্তরে।
ঘর উঠবে,ফুল ফুটবে
আগুন হবে নাই
তুমি বন্ধু পুড়ে পুড়ে
নিজেই হবে ছাই।
-ইফতেখার হোসেন
২/১০/২০১২
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Previously, were there any violence, Jamaat-e-Islami had been accused for that. Why not have judicial inquiry into it and find the real culprits whoever it is – Jamaat-e-Islami, Awami League, or BNP – and give exemplary punishment. Just blaming each other is an old political game and helps to repeat the incident. AL has brought JI men under trial for war crimes, why not AL have been able to bring under trial any of the Jamaate man for its accused involvement in leaf leaning media for all the past bombings and other communal violence?
While we have seen Jamaat-e-Islami has condemned the attack in its strongest word, just blaming the group without proper investigation will let culprits free and do this again. This false propaganda out of political difference should be stopped if you really would like to see religious harmony in Bangladesh.
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Nobody supports the killing of minorities, and maybe who knows might have been religious party or parties involved, but other sources also say that that might not be the case. And finding out the truth is impossible due to the obvious politicization of the case by the newly appointed home minister, who is more interested in searching for BNP fingerprints than locating the truth of the matter.
This article is merely to make the writer feel good about himself and not about seeing the whole scene clearly. He can feel satisfied that he has publicly demonstrated what wonderful values he possesses, but in doing so also is responsible for some bad value judgements.
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Ours is a secular nation, no matter What Ershad, Zia did to the constitution; no matter how the AL or the BNP – the two most self-centred political parties – sought support from Jamaat to survive.
We do not want Jamaat, Toblig, Hizbut Tahir and parties like these in our land. Clear enough?
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Let me rephrase, “We do not want Jamaat, Toblig, Hizbut Tahir, AWAMI OLAMA LEAGUE and parties like these in our land. Clear enough?”
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Again we have seen massive rallies here recently in Bangladesh protesting an anti- Islam film. These very people also protest vehemently National Women’s Development Policy aimed at giving women equal inheritance right.
So, Ramu attack gives us a strong message (especially to the BEDHORMIES/Kafers) that like Pakistaan, in Bangladesh also anyone of us can be accused (deliberately) of defaming Islam even if it is virtual!!
It is a scary situation!
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I don’t think the moderator will publish this comment.
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Before any judicial investigation, you are pointing your finger at a political party and I call it yellow journalism.
I can challenge you won’t be able to provide evidence that the attacker belonged Jamaat or BNP.
I don’t think the moderator will publish this comment
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