The Hindus of Bangladesh are a tormented lot. They are targets of atrocities committed by extremist Muslims. Hindus are murdered  , their wives and daughters raped and killed , their children butchered and their properties seized. The Hindus have long been the shining beacon of Bengali intelligentsia and today, their plight is extremely disturbing. The world knows about it but chooses to remain mum.

The Sikhs, during Mughal rule , faced a scenario very similar to the Hindus of Bangladesh. They were mercilessly tortured, killed and harassed by Mughal soldiers. They had two options; either to sit   back and watch the annihilation of their race or to fight back. They chose the latter. Under Guru Gobind Singh, they transformed into a martial race. And history is witness to the success of the Sikhs. They are less than 2% of India’s population but are influential in every field. India is today ruled by a Sikh.

Bangladeshi Hindus must take inspiration from Sikhs. It is the need of the hour; Hindus must , in the midst of oppression, turn into a martial race. Not in the sense that they pick up weapons and fight   people but rather using weapons provided by civil society and democracy. So, every time someone is killed for being a Hindu, call a ‘Bandh’ ; whenever our women are molested, ‘gherao’  the police station and civic buildings, jam the roads, block rail tracks and when our properties are seized, do not hesitate to pour black paint on government buildings. In such non-violent actions, the aim must not be to create fear in the minds of non-Hindus but rather to emphasize that Hindus will not take injustice lying down.

Hindus must consolidate. Various Hindu organizations of Bangladesh must come under a common umbrella organization. The plight of Hindus has long been talked and much has been written about it. But the world is not listening. It is time for answers, it is time for solutions. And these must come from within the community. This is our struggle and we must take it to the end alone

We were, bought completely by them, by one a single party of Bangladesh. They were harsh and we still voted them, as if we were their servants. Even now, they are a curse on us, the minority and what are the minorities doing? They are still wanting to be servants of those Awami League members. Why, one might ask, and the answer is I do not even know even though I, myself am one minority from Bangladesh.

The Arpita Sampatti Protapon law of 2009 passed through the government’s offices quite quickly. It is said that with this new law, the government will send one district judge for the tribunal for every district. They said, in Bangladesh two lakh acres of land are in the government’s control under the vested property act. The other 4 lakh acres of land is unknown to the government and in what condition they are in. Then there is Sultana Kamal who said “they will be giving the lands back to their original owners”. Others claim that 26 lakh acres of land in under the vested property act, and did they say it was only 6 lakh acres?

First like the articles claim, they want a definition for “satru” and who they are calling that to. Under the rules, there has to be a gadget published for the list of lands, create district based tribunal and set up dates for the ruling, remove the words that claim that one has to be Bangladeshi citizen and give the land to other family members, partners and sufferers of this act.

Previously Written in: Chotto Mind’s Blog

Sources: Samakal Internet Edition
Prothom Alo

Ramna Kali Mandir

The Ramna Kali Mandir was destroyed by the Pakistan Army in March 1971.The destruction of this temple was, ironically, a sign of the advent of tougher times for Hindus of Bangladesh. Hundreds of people who had taken shelter inside the temple were slaughtered as were hundreds of thousands of others throughout the country. Swami Paramananda Giriji, the priest, held on to the deity and prayed till the very end when he was burned alive by Pakistani forces.

The destruction of the temple and the accompanying slaughter is not just another dark blot on history; it is the symbol of cruelty and tyranny almost unparalleled in history. The iconic images of Sheikh Mujib addressing massive crowds in the 7th March 1971 rally prominently show the Ramna Kali Mandir in the background. The picture indeed promised a secular, free Bangladesh. Alas, it was not to be. The minorities of Bangladesh have been victimized throughout post independence history.

The Ramna Kali Mandir must be rebuilt at the same spot where it originally stood. Bangladesh governments in the recent past have promised to rebuild the temple but not at the original site. The temple must be rebuilt at the original site. This cannot be compromised.

The Hindu community must come together with renewed zeal to pursue the construction of the great temple. The demand for construction of the temple at it’s original site can become a national movement. The success of the Ramna Kali Mahamandir movement can well be symbolic of the Hindus of Bangladesh. With the successful construction of the temple, the Hindu community of Bangladesh will no doubt be filled with renewed zeal and unity to find their right, respectful place in Bangladeshi society.

The temple must be, as proposed, accompanied with a memorial; a reminder to our future generations. The temple must be of a scale no less than it’s original form. Let this temple be the pivot of the Hindu movement in Bangladesh.

Update: Feb 01, 2010

Correction from Ratib: Bangabandhu removed the LAST stones of the temple, NOT the Pak Army, but BANGABANDHU removed the last stones, laid grass on the land, confiscated it from the Hindu Board, and gave it to The Dhaka Club

Hindu Women Raped

The plight of the Hindu community of Bangladesh is disturbing. Regularly, one hears about attacks on Hindus and atrocities on women and children of Hindus. Temples and Hindu establishments also routinely face the brunt of extremists in Bangladesh. The role of the Bangladesh government has always been fishy. BNP or Awami League, it doesn’t really make much of a difference. The Hindu community of Bangladesh are apparently forced to live as second class citizens.

What is the reason for this? The rise of Islamic extremism has obviously led to the present scenario. But who are responsible for the rise of hardline islamics? The answer is—successive Bangladesh governments. They have forgotten the pillars on which the Bangla nation was formed. The ideology of those very extremists who supported Pakistan during the ’71 Liberation war is prospering. The secular, progressive credentials of Bangladesh have been long consigned to the dustbin of history. Politically, the situation is bound to worsen. Let Hindus not have any hope from the government.

Then what is the solution? Apparently, Hindus in Bangladesh face a problem; a problem of survival and life of safety, respect and dignity; and this problem needs a solution. The solution; or at least a step towards the solution; would be—Political empowerment.

The Hindus must aim to become a political force in the country. They must be united in quest of this goal. The community must vote for a consensus candidate and when Hindus are attacked or threatened, the community must hit the streets together. The Hindus must have no hesitation in becoming a “vote bank”. The Hindus must, as a primary goal, seek to make themselves relevant to the extent that they can influence 50-60 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad. Then and only then will their voice be heard loud and clear. And in these attempts, the Hindus must bring with them the other minorities of Bangladesh.

The future of Hindus is in the hands of the Hindus. Let us ensure that we decide our fate, not others.

By Jahangir Alam Akash, In Bangladesh, the brutal persecution of the Hindu, Christian religious minority and indigenous ethnic minorities is going ahead with full steam. Until now, the persecution that both communities faced never saw the light of justice. A culture of the denial of justice in Bangladesh is the root of all the persecution against the ethnic and religious minorities, which isn’t only affecting a part of the country, but is plaguing the entire criminal justice system in Bangladesh.

General Zia and his predecessors introduced persecution against the minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh became Islamized under the military regime, rather than being a true parliamentary democracy. Bangladesh was not born with the blessing of being united beyond ethnic and religious differences, but rather has been Islamized, yet with a secular policy.

Religious minority oppression is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. Every day, minority oppression is growing at an alarming rate. Yet our government is not doing its duty to safeguard the minority groups. Why aren’t they doing something to stop minority torture? We don’t know. But we have been seeing that most of the perpetrators are linked with the ruling party. People think that the present government may be turning a blind eye at minority issues. We want to say clearly that the people do not want to see the issue ignored, but rather, that they want to see peace and happiness. Read the rest of this entry »

Honorable Prime Minister and daughter of Bangabondhu Sheikh Hasina, please have look your eyes to minority community. We ask you as a citizen of Bangladesh you have don’t seen anything what happening in Bangladesh? But, why, every day the newspapers have been published much news about minority torture. You have many hands as a Prime Minister, so why don’t take action against minority perpetrators? Still have much time with your hands. So, please safe our minority peoples and their wealth.

Adv.Rabindra GhoshPresident-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) was sent news which was published in the daily Sangbad. We have known that, Sangbad is an oldest newspaper in Bangladesh. And they have goodwill as a responsible journalism.
Read the rest of this entry »

The minority Hindus of Bangladesh are looking back at the Awami League again to seek for their freedom that they had once lost when the BNP government came up. But still, we have not seen what we thought would watch when after the long term of the interim government and their dominance. We thought that we would watch all the Hindus free from the grip that had held them so sceard for all these time but still it doesn’t seem to come out of it.

In Ittefaq, a report came up with an incident on the first of August, 2009 (click here to read it from Ittefaq’s site). Bangladeshi newspaper called Shomokal, Sangbad, Daily Nayadiganta, Daily Jugantar, Daily Janakantha are still publishing stories with incidents that are happening till this day in the lives of those Hindus. But AL till now has not shown any improvement among the citizens of Bangladesh. In PresecutionBD.com, a site fully dedicated to those Hindus and minorities that are suffering the pain, it bought up a news that we see in the Hindus of Narshindi. The Hindus of Narshindi are still looking for justice on the July 25th incident that happened this year after the Awami League government was selected. After reading about it in PresecutionBD, I went to a site that preserves these reports that happened against the Hindus.

Translated from the report: “Just to get control of Hindu’s cemetry area in Narshindi Palash, 4 minority houses were treated savagely. They broke down the houses, robbed from them that they saw were valuable. In their attack, including woman 5 were injured. The villagers have said that Jainal was the leader of this gang and they broke down the cemetry area then threw them down to the river where the current picked it all up.”

Now here comes the government at this and how this crime is investigated: “The police have arrested a girl names Swathi (I just want to say, how can a girl do this?) Now the loot that happened at the scene was nothing small but it was big with the amount of money that they stole, gold that they found and they also looted cellphones that were making the price go up to one lakh takas.

Yes, I can agree that it is not the Awami League government that is doing all these but they could at least investigate upon this. This is the minorities that always give them the vote and no one else but still why are these minorities getting so much less notice? Aren’t these minorities humans? It might sould as if it is only us that are yelling, well in Bangladesh what other minorities are going on? For example will the poor are being treated badly but they are not being treated badly because of who they are but what they have. If we treat human beings because of their beliefs, then I just want to ask to those that are being racist “Where is the World standing at this stage today?”

Posted From Chotto Mind’s Blog

Bangladesh intelligence has arrested Mufti Obaidullah, the most wanted militant of India and an operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Bangladesh intelligence arrested him earlier on Thursday near the Babubazaar Bridge in capital and presented before the media on Friday. For last 14 years Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba had been carrying out its activities in Bangladesh, said intelligence officials

Mufti Obaidullah was working to organize terrorist networks with the help of Kashmir based Lashkar-e-Taiba, said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner AKM Shahidul Hoque. Mufti Obaidullah has been living in Bangladesh with his wife, three sons and two daughters since 1995, to avoid Indian intelligence after the Indian government declared him the most wanted, said Police Commissioner

In last six years he lived in different regions of Bangladesh and taught in different madrasas of Madaripur, Jessore, Satkhira and Srimangal. I had planned to eliminate the Hindus and the enemies of the Muslims by forming a group said Mufti Obaidullah. In last 14 years in Bangladesh, he would train up people to be militants. Said Police Commissioner

Lashkar-e-Taiba is one of the largest and most active militant organizations in South Asia.

Group Photo with Dr. Neem Chandra Bhowmik

Dhaka – Prof Neem Chandra Bhowmik, chairman of Applied Physics Department of Dhaka University (DU) has named as the new Bangladesh ambassador to Nepal, said government source

Government took a sharp decision. Prof Neem is an intellectual and people like him should represent the country. His representation in Europe or American countries can bring a positive change in diplomatic relations, said Arnab Tagore a human rights activist

He is also the president of Bangladesh Muktijodha Foundation, president of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad. During last decade he has played a vital role in protecting the rights of the minorities in Bangladesh as an active part of of Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad.

During the military backed interim government Prof Neem Chandra Bhowmik was falsely accused in two cases filed in connection with the August violence on Dhaka University (DU) campus, was sent to jail yesterday after he surrendered before a Dhaka court.

William Gomes: Bangladeshi Human Rights Activist

I am William Gomes a Human rights activist and a freelance journalist from Bangladesh. I do used to run a small human rights organization called “Christian Development Alternative (CDA). I am also a converted Christian. I was harassed by police many times.  we do work with our small effort to protect the rights of the minorities specially.

Today 8th July 2009 ,two police official form special Branch of police under the City SB came to my house around 6 o clock in the evening. One police official said, who is William Nicholas Gomes. They said we are looking for you. We are from city SB of police. Our senior official wants to talk to you. He ringed from his cell and gave me the
mobile phone, from other side a man, asked me what you was doing in India in February. Come to my office tomorrow, my high officials wants to know more.

I said to him that I will go to prime minister’s office tomorrow early in the morning and then I will go to UNDP local office for pre fixed meeting. Than the man from the other side to go to his office in Bialy road in Saturday.The man was the Additional Sp of city SB. I will go to his office on Saturday. I will give you update. What is going on.
For last two years, I have been harassed by police only for my religious identity and works for minorities.

The name and the celll number of the police officials came to my house:

1. Mohammed Abul Kaher
Sub Inspector

2. SM saha Alam
Sub Inspector of City SB

I am drawing your urgent attention on the issue of bias manner of a police officer SI Mr. Shariful on case of investigation of a case (case number 33) filed in Sutrapur police station dated on  11-05-09 under the crpc section  380.

On this case the petitioner Adv.Rabindra Ghosh claimed that some unknown people have stole a video camera from ISCKON temple Swamibag . And the petitioner allegedly involved me on the incident; the fact is I am not aware of said camera at all. More than that the petitioner provoked the Sebait and Executor of Swamibag Ashram Shri Jasada Nandan Acharjee to witness against me that “He saw that I took the camera”. Mr. Acharjee has told the fact to Investigative officer SI Shariful. The IO is not pointing the statement in note.

I am shocked at this false case. I am felling really helpless. As you are human rights
defender I need your help, I have protested the false attempt to tie me with the case to the DC wari. The Dc Wari seems very helpful.

I am always committed to fight the Terrorism for my position with the allies of  in different countries and recently, I had sit with Mr. Ahmad Karim Nawabi, the Afghan ambassador to Bangladesh and share my concern about fighting the growing the

Islamic Terrorism and on regular basis I am sharing all the available information in fighting the Islamic terrorism in the south Asia to the international community. I have penned different articles in different international media in focusing the problem and possibilities in Bangladesh.

As PRP is on the way to transform police force to Police Service, I hope that you will take it note that the Investigative should take proper note that I am being harassed by the ill motive of Adv.Rabindra Ghosh. I myself protested on some case where the Advocate showed a normal eloped case to a forced conversion to Islam. The case was also submitted to UN.  Through my mail I had also request PRP to investigate on the aggressive attitude towards the police officials.

I also want to request to make it sure the police should make it sure, why Adv.Rabindra had provoked Shri Jasad Nandan Acharjee to witness against me strongly. The irresponsible attitude of police officer like SI Shariful is hampering my attention in fighting the growing Islamic terrorism.

As journalist and human rights activist I just went to find out the issues of forced conversion .But I am in problem for the irresponsible attitude of the police officer of Bangladesh police. I also request to the international community to write to the government to insure a   free and fare investigation.

Dutch Minister Bert Koenders

A two member group of Dutch ministers will arrive in Dhaka on July 5, a press statement said

The group will include Bert Koenders, the Dutch minister for development cooperation and Dutch vice minister of transport, public works and water management Tineke Huizinga.

During tow days short visit they will meet with prime minister Sheikh Hasina, finance minister AMA Muhit, foreign minister Dipu Moni and the water resources minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, the statement said.

The ministers will also visit education and water sector projects, funded by the Netherlands and will also meet with members of parliament, academics, development experts and the representatives of NGOs and the business community, the statement said.

Mr Koenders was appointed Minister for Development Cooperation in the fourth Balkenende government On 22 February 2007. He has held numerous positions, including member of the Governing Council of the Society for International Development and chair of the board of the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank.

In 2009, he had criticized Pope Benedict XVI over his assertion that handing out condoms is not the solution to combatting AIDS and actually makes the problem worse.

Since the liberation of Bangladesh, the country  has received over 1 billion dollars from the Dutch, mostly in grants through government and non-government channels for the improvement of water management, land reclamation, combating climate change, good governance and others, the statement said

2009 Failed State Index

Fund for peace has decided to rank Bangladesh 19 out of 177 states putting it into “alert” state. The higher the ranking, more vulnerability exists in that nation and more likely that nation to spiral into a state-wide crisis. The bad ranking for Bangladesh has to do with corrupted government, social unrest and bad human rights record.  Although new government was able to gain some momentum initially, BDR mutiny and rising cost of living while sliding quality of life has contributed to a high vulnerability within the state.

Pakistan has been ranked 10th putting it into a highly critical category. Somalia ranks 1 in the index.

Among the top 10 ranked states, 7 of them are Muslim majority states.

Somalia (1)
Sudan (3)
Chad (4)
Iraq (6)
Afghanistan (7)
Guinea (9)
Pakistan (10)

This shows the high uncertainty that exists on most of the Muslim states. Corrupted government, rise of Islamic fascism and fundamentalism are tearing these countries apart.

Other than the Muslim states, the South-Asian states have also performed very poorly except India. Among other South-Asian states Sri Lanka has ranked 22 and Nepal 25. Unfortunately Bangladesh has ranked worse than both of these nations even though these countries are recovering from the civil war and unrest.

Click here to look at the original list.

Here is an interactive map.

Child Prostitution in Bangladesh

Various organizations and individuals have been fighting for decades to ensure justice for women and children in Bangladesh. While progress has been nominal, violence continues to be notable.

Innocent souls are crying for justice. From January to March 2009, 73 women and children were the victims of rape or attempted rape; among those, 29 were gang raped and 13 were between ages 7 and 12. In May alone, 33 women and girls were the victims of rape. Among those, 16 were women and 17 were children under the age of 16. Out of the 16 women, five were victims of gang rape and three were killed after being raped. Out of the 17 girls, five were victims of gang rape and two were killed after being raped.

Between January and March 2009, six serious acts of violence against women were instigated by fatwas. When I discussed this issue with the law minister, he denied the necessity of introducing a specific law to ban fatwas. I repeatedly insisted on the necessity of a specific law to fight fatwa, as well as a law to identify the paternity of a child in cases where it is disputed.

Dowry is another social disease in Bangladesh. From January to March 2009, 44 women faced dowry-related violence; among these women, 23 died.

Bangladesh has the highest maternal mortality rate in the world: 440 per 100,000 live births, according to UNICEF, and more than 20,000 women in Bangladesh die annually from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth.

In Bangladesh, women do their best to fulfill their duties and take care of all their men’s needs; yet, from January to March 2009 alone, 45 women were abused by their husbands or their husbands’ relatives. Very recently, a woman, Parul Akter, who was seven months pregnant, was killed and her body thrown in a river; her two other children are still missing. This is the reality that many women in Bangladesh face.

We can name thousands of ways that women and children are facing oppression and repression in Bangladesh. Confucius said, “We should feel sorrow, but not sink under its oppression.” I do agree with that. For almost two decades, Bangladesh’s prime ministers have been women. The number of people who oppose and oppress woman and children are larger than the number of people who are oppressed or suppressed.

Women’s empowerment alone will not solve the problem; we need to treat women as human beings first, rather than simply as women. We need to break the silence and stand up against religious and cultural traditions that encourage the repression of women and children. I dream of a day when a woman will be treated as a human being first, when women will really be empowered and lead the nation toward a more humane way, as they are the source of the human race.

The whole system in Bangladesh is male-dominated, inspired by common prophet religions that have a culture of suppressing woman historically. We need to deal with these oppressors first. Many aw and wonderful steps had taken to bring an end to the suppression to woman and children but hopefully none of them succeed.

A Woman is Harassed by Police in Bangladesh

Sometimes, a police officer who oppresses his wife in the home is used to investigate a case of oppression against a woman. In this case, the police officer should be brought to trial before anything else. Bangladesh even has cases where, after being raped, the woman gets raped again in the police station by police officers.

More than anything, the religion of Islam encourages the majority of people in Bangladesh in the historical cultural traditions of oppressing women. Laws can change, while religion inspires adherents through heaven and hell; in this light, how will jail or capital punishment be able to make any significant change?

The Prophet Mohammed said, “I was standing at the edge of the fire (hell) and the majority of the people going in were women.” When the Quran and the Prophet Mohammed guide the majority of people in Bangladesh, and the Quran (4:34) orders a man to beat his wife if she doesn’t obey him, how will the law prevent the beating of women? Laws and conventions contradict the holy sayings of the Prophet and Allah and will surely fail to ensure the rights of women.

I silently cry for justice for women like Parul, Rahima, Rebeka, Shima, who was raped in front of her father, and Mili Rani, a minority girl who was raped and later committed suicide. All this happened inside of the society before you and me.

We need to break the silence and step up a revival for humanity and justice.

William Gomes is an independent human rights activist ,Freelance Journalist and a political analyst. He can be reached at cda.exe@gmail.com .

Shiekh Hasina: PM of Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a flourishing country with a large Muslim population. Recently, Bangladesh has been called different things, due to its growing Islamic extremism. Different governments have played a mixed role in fighting Islamic extremism. Presently, the Awami League government, which won the parliamentary elections with a large majority, has given the highest priority to fighting Islamic extremism.

Local and international media is covering the activities of the government against Islamic extremist groups. The government is trying to prove that Islamic extremism is going to be uprooted soon.

But the reality is very different. The Islamic extremists are growing and gathering more strength as the government initiates operations to uproot extremism. The reality is that the Islamic extremists are better equipped and strategically stronger than ever.

There are 786 high profile people in important positions of power that are closely linked with different Islamic extremist groups. Among these 786, there are 200 high-ranking government officials, including 76 individuals from the different intelligence agencies of the Bangladesh government, 20 powerful parliamentarians, and 7 high profile media personalities in different news media to fight the intellectual battle and propagate news and views in favor of the Islamic extremist groups.

The government failed to trace these 786 people and their national and international links. These 786 are working to create a scenario like what happened in Bangladesh in 1975, with the assassination of the “father of the nation” Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. As Rahman was assassinated, so will Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina if the government fails to fight these 786. Through the masses, the liberation in 1971 came about, and through the assignation of Sheikh Hasina will we be able to triumph over the tragedy of 1975.

William Gomes is an independent human rights activist ,Freelance Journalist and a political analyst. He can be reached at cda.exe@gmail.com

There has been a recent surge of violence against the Adibashi (mostly Buddhist) minorities in Bangladesh. In most of these cases justice haven’t been served. One of these latest incidents involve at attack on a Buddhist temple. All these incidents have been reported by Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti and HRCBM. Please spread the word and raise a voice against the violence against the Adibashi community.

A Buddhist Zadi plundered in Teknaf of Cox’s Bazaar district

On 13 June at night an ancient Zadi situated on top of Nilla Bazaar hill has been broken. Nilla is 12 miles north of Teknaf (Kayoukchoung) in the district of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. It is not yet known whether it was an act of zealotry or was it merely plundered in search of treasure.

Adivasi village burnt-down in Porsha upazila of Naogaon district

On 12th June 2009, the land-grabbers attacked an Adivasi village at Porsha upazila of Naogaon district and burnt-down 74 houses. At least four hundred people assembled with grievous weapons under the leadership of one Nur Hossain Master and his son Nazrul Haque and attacked village Khatirpur Upar-Sonadanga in Chhaor union.

Clash between Jumma and Bengali settlers in Ramgarh

On 14 June 2009 clash between Jumma villagers and Bengali settlers occurred at Jalia Para under Ramgarh upazila in Khagrachari district. It is learnt that Bengali settlers from Jalia Para cluster village have been trying to occupy the land of Jumma villagers at Baroitali area of Baroitali mouza and Hafchari union under Ramgarh upazila. Baroitali area is around 8 kms far from Jalia Para cluster village.

A Jumma youth shot in Rangamati

On 13 June 2009 around 8.00 p.m. a Jumma youth named Kallol Chakma (23), s/o Prabhat Chakma of Banarupa in Rangamati town was shot by unidentified miscreants at Samataghat under Banarupa area.

Christian Science Monitor raises a very important question regarding the prevalence of terrorism in Bangladesh. They link to a series of reports, which show a violent surge of terrorism. This is a really dangerous news not just for minorities, who are the first targets of Muslim terrorism but also the whole concept of democracy itself. The recent election gained some new enthusiasm about the future of Bangladesh but the BDR mutiny and vibrant new evidence of increasing extremism and fascism put the future of this country into jeoperdy.

Osama bin Laden may be laying low in Pakistan. But many of South Asia’s terrorists have a new hideout: Bangladesh.

In recent days, Bangladeshi police have been hot on the trail of disturbing developments: they’ve uncovered a plot that used Bangladesh to transit thousands of weapons to an Indian separatist group, and followed up by arresting key members of that group in Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital, reports The Times of India.

Around the same time, police arrested a fugitive hit man working for Daud Ibrahim, one of South Asia’s most notorious terrorists. While in custody, the assassin divulged that 150 of Mr. Ibrahim’s operatives are stationed in Bangladesh, according to The Daily Star, a leading English-language newspaper based in Dhaka.

Source: CSMonitor

Religious freedom takes a back seat in Pakistan. A man refusing to convert to Islam was brutally sexually abused and then killed by Islamic extremists. This is not the first time that it’s happening. Most of the atrocities against minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh go unnoticed. A few of them is only picked up by the media. Our expectation is Pakistani authority will take strong actions to make sure the rights of the minorities are protected.

Pakistani police reportedly found the body of Tariq “Litto” Mashi Ghauri — a 28-year-old university student in Sargodha, Pakistan — lying dead in a canal outside a rural village in Punjab Province on May 15. He had been raped and stabbed at least five times.

“They have sexually abuse him, torture him with a knife on his testicle and genitals,” Ghauri’s brother, 24-year-old Salman Nabil Ghauri, said. “They have tortured him very badly, and after that they have stabbed five times with a knife and killed him.”

The family believes Litto Ghauri was murdered by the brothers of his Muslim girlfriend, Shazi Cheema, after they found him in a compromising sexual position with their sister.

The Rev. Haroon Bhatti, a Christian clergyman in the village and a friend of the Ghauri family, said Cheema’s three brothers came to Litto Ghauri’s house on May 11 and gave him an ultimatum: Marry their sister and convert to Islam.

Source

International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), a Hindu organization, fear attacks by Islamic militants after helping rescuedminor Hindu boy from madrasa.

Bangladesh government has failed to protect and promote human rightsof the minorities of Bangladesh over the years. Rape, gang-rape,kidnap and forceful conversion of members of the ethnic and religious minorities has turned Bangladesh into a land of human rights violation, opposed to the demand of UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The rising Islamic militancy threatens the existence of the minorities in Bangladesh. Many Hindus were forced to leave the country because of communal violence.

Recently, a minor Hindu boy, 13-year-old Poresh Chandra Sarkar, was traced out of his long disappearance. The boy from poor family took up job as child labour in a restaurant in the capital. Dhaka. Far from his village, there a Muslim man, named Hamdu Mia, came to know about the boy’s helpless condition, and with the help of some Maolanas (Muslim clerics) of a madrasa, they illegally converted this immature boy to a Islam from Hinduism and confined him in madrasa, away from all contact with his parents.

After lots of frantic searching for the boy, a clue came from a letter with $58 sent by Poresh to his father on 25.04.2008 through Genera Post Office (GPO) in Dhaka. Based on the clue, the boy’s father Krishna Chandra Sarker contacted a Muslim officer at the GPO. The officer informed Krishna Sarker that he knew of his son’s whereabouts and that he might get back his son if his family converted to Islam.

Failing to make contact with his beloved son, Mr. Sarker filed a police report (GD # 1498) with the Paltan Police Station, Dhaka.

The police then called in Hamdu Mia along with the Maulans to the Police Station. The parents, along with the relatives, beg to the police to hand over their son to them until late at night, but they were forced out of the Police Station with getting custody of the boy.

It appears that the police were connected to the extremists. The lawyers, representing the boy’s father, suspect that the innocent boy might have undergone terror-training in a camp somewhere like Bagmara, as the boy shout to his father over a cell-phone that, “I have sacrifice my life to establish the law of Allah in the world, and don’t try to find out me…..” (Allahar Ain Prothistha Korar Jonno ejibon utshorga koriachi Amar Khoj Korio na). He has been trained to keep shut himself under any circumstances.

Later on, the father and the son was brought before a court in Dhaka, chaired by magistrate Ms. Shamima Parvin on 07 April 2009. Unfortunately, ignoring the age of the victim and submission of Mr. Sarker’s lawyer, the magistrate ordered that the boy be sent to the Madrasa, instead of handing him over to his parents. But, faced with objection of the lawyers, she sent the boy to Jail Hajat (Safe Custody).

Read the rest of this entry »