Since Hindus in East Bengal turned Bangladesh participated in all nationalistic movements right from the beginning of our glorious Language Movement in 1948, 1952 and 1966 to the heroic War of Liberation in 1971, along with their co-linguistic brothers and sisters belonging to the major religious group of Bangladesh, their hopes and aspirations have naturally become very high.

What happened in the early fifties, happened again in Bangladesh in 1992 and 2001. As a result the silent migration of Hindus from this country could not be stopped. The state failed to provide security to the minorities despite equal rights guaranteed to them in the constitution.

The self-contradictory “State Religion Provision” and “Vested Property Act” compromised making the State pledge meaningless.

This is an unending story of Hindus. Now we are talking about the present situation in Bangladesh. The print media reportedly published a number of incidences of violation of human rights. I could quote the headline of those stories published in the local dailies during the last 12 months in 2009, that would tell of its saddest thoughts of humiliation of Hindus.

The sacrifices of the Hindu leadership were never acknowledged either officially or publicly.

Does the nation pay respect to those departed souls? Is there any room for the Hindu leaders in the history who fought for the cause of history and the War of Liberation?

The so-called Bangladeshi nationalism in Bangladesh’s politics is a revival of two-nation theory. Here ” Bangladeshi ” means the Muslim citizens of the land, others like Hindu, Buddhists, Christians and tribal origins are aligning citizens, they would be absorbed in the majority community by conversion or make them compelled to leave Bangladesh.

In the post-August 1975, Bangladesh, Bengali, Hindu and India are equated with a typical psyche by the ruling cliché. “The existing literature on the history of Bangladesh underplays not only the inner contradictions of the Muslims of Bengal, but also other significant features of her past.” It is very difficult to guess about the inner world of the present-day Bangladesh.

The minorities of East Pakistan had not only fought for independence of Bangladesh together with all citizens of other sections of society. Hindus had to pay a great sacrifice for Bangladesh nationhood, but after August 1975, they are cornered, ciphered and uprooted due to property and vote’s bank assaults like erstwhile Pakistan military regimes.

Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (UDHR)

On December 10, 1948 the UN General Assembly endorsed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) the first international expression that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights:

(Article 1). This declaration (comprising 30 articles) forms the basis of essentially all humanitarian work around the globe today, and sets a human rights standard by which all societies are judged. The vast majority of UN member states adopted the UDHR.

Thus, December 10 represents a day to celebrate hope and the triumph of humanity. It is also a day to look back, renew the resolve and reinvigorate commitments to the dignity of people irrespective of their ethnicity, religion or any other identifiers that may be used for selective exclusion and deprivation.

The UDHR is a declaration of the principles of international law, and as such, is non- binding. However, it is accompanied by a series of international human rights covenants or treaties. These treaties require sovereign parties to enact coherent domestic measures and legislation that provide tangible legal mechanisms to protect the human rights guaranteed under international law.

Bangladesh is party to almost all the core conventions, such as the, ICCPR (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights), ICESCR (International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), ICERD (International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination), and CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women).

It may be noted that the UDHR came about at the same time as the partitioning of India in 1947. The partitioning gave birth to Pakistan as the homeland for Indian Muslims, even though a substantial Muslim population chose to remain in secular India. The minorities, especially the Hindus and Buddhists who lived in East Pakistan (as it was then) faced varying degrees of discrimination and threats to life, property, dignity and freedom. An atmosphere of exclusion and hate prevailed.

Over and above other cultural conflicts under the military dictatorship in Islamic Pakistan, unhappiness in East Pakistan with the inequitable distribution of political and economic power led to the independence struggle.

Free, democratic, secular Bangladesh came into being in 1971. However, the Islamic forces never accepted this idea of nationhood.

In August 1975, brutal annihilation of almost the entire family members of founding Father of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Thus, power reverted back to the military.

Islam (as the state religion) replaced secularism. This allowed the Islamic fundamentalists a kind of constitutional footing in Bangladesh.

Against this background, it is probably not surprising to find that the human rights abuse minorities received under Pakistan’s framework also continues in Bangladesh.

The Hindu temples are damaged. Temple sites and other property are unlawfully occupied with new structures erected on them. Young girls are abducted for forcible marriages into Islam. Police authorities dismissively discourage investigation for such cases with communal undertones.

Naturally, despite a constitution that guarantees all citizens equal protection of law (Article 27), minorities in Bangladesh do not live with the confidence that their human rights will be respected. The minority population has dropped (through emigration) from 23% in 1954 to 11% in 2001.

However, with their parliamentary representation decreasing from 23.3% (on a quota basis) to 2%, minorities are under-represented in administration, judiciary and police. In those figures, one finds little cause for confidence ? a regrettable scenario, as Bangladesh, with its mostly progressive Muslim population, possesses a great potential to rise to the UDHR standard. Yet its human rights record (a standard normally judged by the way a country treats its vulnerable population) leaves a lot to be desired.

In Calcutta to participate in the rally called by Furfura Darbar Sharif, a Muslim organisation demanding reservation, the former Indian skipper Muhammad Azharuddin MP said: “I have raised the issue in Parliament. Reservation is a must for Muslims. I hope the Central government will go for reservation. I have been asked by Pranab Mukherjee to come here. I am his messenger and I represent the Congress.” (The Telegraph, 2 Feb 2010).

Pradip Bhattacharya, working president of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee said: “We have accepted the Rangnath Mishra report. It was our Congress government in Andhra, which first provided reservation of seats to minorities. Pir Saheb Maulana Toha Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude towards Pranab Mukherjee for the “help” extended to the community.

“If political parties don’t work of us, be it Left or Right, we will kick them out. I had called Trinamool leaders Partho Chatterjee, Mukul Roy and Mamata Banerjee here, but they did not come. Time has come for all Muslims to rise up.” He added: “We demand reservation. The party that looks after us will look after them. This time only words will not do, show us what you can do. I am thankful to Pranab Mukherjee who extended all help to us.”

Mamata too smells blood

With the ruling Left Front backing Rangnath Mishra Commission’s recommendations calling for 15 per cent reservation for Muslims in jobs, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee too threw her weight behind the quota proposal today, saying her party will implement them when it comes to power in Bengal. “This is nothing new. Look at our manifestos in 2001 and 2006 where we have said the same thing. We had already suggested this (reservation for Muslims).

The state government is shirking its responsibilities on the issue. Why is the state government not passing a resolution (in the state Assembly) and implementing it?” she told reporters at her Kalighat residence.

But what is happening in Bangladesh , if minority organisations raise this sort of demands, they would be termed as communal .

Bangladesh Minorities are slaves to their fate to the destiny of history also.

The distortion of the history of Bangladesh and with it the Bangladesh foreign policy objectives started following the fifth and eighth amendments to the constitution of Bangladesh in post August 1975.

After 1990, the two dominant parties -BNP and Awami League- had altered power, BNP winning in 1991, Awami League in 1996 and 2009, and a BNP-Jaamat led 4-party alliance again in 200.

The former 4-party regime and its beneficiaries disguised in the administration are marking time to create environment befitting for them. The government should look into those cases meticulously and lapses in the field administration be dealt seriously. We are receiving complain of grabbing lands from Madaripur, Dinajpur, and other districts. We have been receiving news of violation of human rights in the form of grabbing lands, religion and abduction and cases of rape in Sirajganj, Dinajpur, Jaipurhat, Jhinaidah Nagaon and Magura .

We don’t find any difference of behavior, particularly on minority issues, in administration and the nature of humiliation whether democratic regime or autocratic regime or Caretaker Government run by Emergency backed by Army rules in Bangladesh. That is why, the humiliated Hindus left Bangladesh to become a ‘stateless-citizens’ in neibouring states in India and their number became 1.5 crore since the period between1975 and 2006.

This has created a great divide in the society of Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, being a Hindu means being a victim of oppression, torture and discrimination. The educated Hindus, who could play a leadership role in the community, left the country. The poor, who lacked leadership qualities, stayed back. Eminent personalities of the minorities who stayed on in Bangladesh live in the cities, so there are none to look after them in times of distress.

Whereas minority Muslims in India deserve a 15 percent reservation in Jobs. Is there any leader in Bangladesh to come forward to rescue these humiliated minorities?

We want legitimate share in every share of public posts not puja dole for appeasement. Echoing the tune of Pir Saheb of Furfura Shariff as stated above , we also put the same voice, “If political parties don’t work of us, we will kick them out. …We demand reservation in jobs in government services and parliament. The party that looks after us will look after them. This time only words will not do, show us what you can do”.

Each nation has to be mindful of this consequence —Bangladesh also included this time.

Rabindranth Trivedi is a retired Additional Secretary and former Press secretary to the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh presently Secretary General Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities ( HRCBM)-Dhaka.

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.

Freedom of Religion

A Malaysian Muslim woman, named S. Banggarma (27), who was converted to Islam at the age of 7 is fighting to be recognized as a Hindu. She claims that although she was given a Muslim name, she led her life as a Hindu. She told AFP, “I have always stuck to my Hindu roots and practised all the traditions,’ she told AFP. “I was born as a Hindu, I have lived as a Hindu and I will die as a Hindu.”

This is a very problematic matter in Malaysia. The vicious anti-conversion laws make it almost impossible for Muslims to convert to other faith. We sincerely hope the Malaysian authority let this woman practice Hinduism and to be recognized as a Hindu.

Islamic extremism is rising in Malaysia. There has been instances such as banning yoga for Muslims. This is an ongoing struggle that the Muslim countries all over the world is facing. The minorities and liberals are being subjugated and persecuted. We will be following this news and update accordingly.

Source:  Dawn

Rajan Zed, acclaimed Hindu statesman; and Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich, prominent Jewish leader in Nevada and California in USA; in a joint statement in Nevada today, said that mayor Fandakova should make Roma upliftment her first priority as their maltreatment was a dark stain on the face of Sofia and Bulgaria.

Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, and Rabbi Freirich stressed that it was simply immoral to continue staying apathetic and silent spectator ignoring Roma plight, who reportedly regularly faced social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.

Commissioner for Human Rights of Council of Europe Thomas Hammarberg, who recently concluded a three-day visit to Sofia, visited a Roma settlement in the Republika district of Sofia where he assessed the living conditions as inhumane. “No one should live in these conditions in today’s Europe” he declared.

Capital and largest city of Bulgaria, Sofia is the second oldest city in Europe whose roots can be traced back to about 7000 years. Lonely Planet has described Sofia as “city waking up after decades of slumber”.

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.

Torture of minorities continues as we talk. When will it come to an end, and why doesn’t the government take action against the perpetrators of minority torture? In Bangladesh, every day, there have been cases of murder, attempted murder, torture, and other forms of inhumanity. Is Bangladesh a democratic and civilized country? How can we say that it’s a civilized and democratic country?

In Bangladesh, crimes against humanity have become widespread, especially against minorities. Almost every day, minority people leave for the neighbor country, India. Minority women are constantly afraid for their security. Peace, good governance, rule of law, and democracy are nonexistent in Bangladesh. Perpetrators get impunity from the state. As a result, there is a constant increase in all kinds of criminal activities in our dear Bangladesh. At the same time, sectarianism has increased rapidly. And our religious minorities are suffering.

Majority Muslims are occupying the minorities’ lands, torturing them, and raping their women. It is a common practice. Everything has been happening in front of the eyes of the government. The present ruling party is always telling us that they are nonsectarian. Yet, they are failing to stop minority oppression, and the torture of minorities is still happening in Bangladesh.

We see from the media that ruling party members are taking away land that belongs to minorities. The people of Bangladesh have not forgotten the oppression of minorities that took place after the general election of 2001. It is true that our minority peoples faced grievous trouble under the BNP/Jamaat-E-Islam alliance government that ruled from 2001 to 2006. During that regime, BNP/Jamaat party members were committing murder, rape, and vandalism against minorities.

Bangladesh was born as a nation after nine months of fighting for freedom. With independence, four main components were established for the nation, namely, democracy, nationalism, secularism, and socialism. With an almost good constitution, Bangladesh was beginning to make progress forward. However, the constitution did not recognize our indigenous communities. Even today, indigenous peoples are not recognized by the constitution. The present government has the support of the majority in Bangladesh; if they wanted to reestablish 1972 constitution, it would be no problem for them. But the government has been in power for ten months, and they still haven’t taken any steps in that direction.

Under the force of Islamization, the preamble of Bangladesh’s constitution has been amended to include the words “…pledging that the high ideals of absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah…”, and, in the process, the word “secularism” has been dropped. The constitution, in fact, begins with the words “Bismillah-ar-rahman-ar-rahim”, which means “In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful,” which words come from Islam. In Bangladesh, the completion of Islamization is happening everywhere.

In this situation, we demand that the unconstitutional provision concerning a state religion in the Constitution of Bangladesh be repealed. All activities of discrimination, disparity, arrests, torture, detention, and oppression against religious minorities, as well as all people in general, shall have to be stopped. We don’t want a religious state; we want a secular and democratic state, based on Bengali nationalism in the light of the four fundamental principles of the state that motivated the Bangladesh Liberation War and that constituted the dream of the father of the nation, Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Jammat-E-Islam is a communal party in Bangladesh, which was involved with war criminalities. BNP also has been upholding their non-secular attitude, which has introduced ‘Bismilla’ to our secular constitution. BNP-Jammat torture and kill our minority, it’s a natural, because they are fundamentalists. Though, this government is well known as a minority friendly government, but instead, minority repression is going on unabated. It’s very unfortunate to secular peoples.

International religious freedom commission of US state department was published a report on human rights situation of Bangladesh, recently. They were given a big certificate to the present government of Bangladesh about the human rights. According to the report, the human rights situation is going on good place especially the minority oppression is decreasing. The state department of US, how they said the human rights situation has improving in Bangladesh? We don’t know, but real scenario is reversed.

In Bangladesh, practical situation of human rights has not well like the report of US state department. Almost every day, there are violating the human rights with various form. The minority community especially the Hindu and the Christian peoples are in panic. Different places of the country have been happening minority repression.

We can give some examples for minority repression in this present government regime. A school teacher Akhil Chandra Saha was killed by miscreants at Charghat in Rajshahi on 30th June. After this killing the minority peoples of 21 Hindu families of Miapur village has been panic. A sensational minority oppression incident was happened in this regime on August. Armed local criminals picked up Nitai Chandra Das, 70, his cousin Shambhu Das, 50, Shambhu’s wife Kajol Rani Das, 42, her son Sajal, 14, and daughter Swarna, 8, Shambhu’s brother Mohabir Das, 45, his wife Lakshmi Rani Das, 38, her daughters Beauty, 18, and Sweety, 12, from their houses and confined them to the workshop.

The criminals also looted belongings including gold ornaments from the victims’ houses. A poor Hindu young people Ashish Sarker, 25 was abducted and murdered by miscreants on 1st July at Mirzapur in Tangail. A Hindu businessman named Sumon Goala (25) was abducted and murdered at Pearpur –Jamalpur Sadar on 2nd part of June. A Hindu woman, Ms.Radha Rani Halder, 28 was gang raped recently in Shoriotpur. Perpetrators attacked four Hindu families, vandalized their deities while attackers tried to occupy cremation ground belonging to Hindus on 3rd July at Palash Upazila of Narsingdi District. 10 persons including women and children were seriously injured due to abrupt attack.

On 16th July some miscreants have stolen valuables and desecrated Kali Temple demolishing the deity at Raroa Kali Temple at Gopalpur within Sherpur Upazila of Bogra District of Bangladesh. A Hindu housewife Anguri Biswas, 23 was abducted forcefully and taken to other places for killing or for trafficking on 2nd July, 2009 at Rajoir in Madaripur district. A group of hoodlums with the leadership of Hafizur Rahman Hafiz andhis elder brother Azizur Rahman Aziz – Cultural Secretary of Juba League (Youth Organisation of Awami League) Nalitabari Upazila underSherpur district on August forcefully occupied seven decimals of lands belonging to a Hindu owner- Surjya Kanta Debnath. In this connection allegations received from the victim’s family that two shops were demolished and their daughter Ms.Lipi Debnath was physically assaulted during operation.

In same month twenty Minority families are on run because of continuous kidnapping of women/children and forceful collection of money at Sonagazi-Feni District. It is learnt that some perpetrators namely Jafar, Seraj, Younus, Saiful, Ripon, Sabuj, Selim, Nasir and more 20-22 miscreants were regularly collecting illegal money from 20 to 22 Hindu families. If they refuse to pay money to miscreants then repression and threat starts.

A gang of criminals attacked three Hindu families in the Dighalkandi Sahapara village of the Puthia subdistrict of Rajshahi on the night of August 31, injuring 12 people. Sources said, the hoodlums also looted five houses and shops during the attack, in an attempt to take land away from those families. The injured included Profulla Chandra Saha, his wife Bijli Rani Saha, his brother Bijoy Saha, Sukumar, Chand, and Nomita, who were admitted to Puthia Health Complex in critical condition.

Around 30 perpetrators, believed to be BNP-Jamaat cadres, attacked and damaged the houses of Vanpuller Bijoy, Sukumar, and Uttam. They also looted Sukumar’s grocery store and the stitching shop of Uttam’s wife, Nomita, during the attack. Local sources said that men from the neighboring village of Kacharipara beat up two youths – Nayan and Sujon – at Sahapara on Aug. 27, 2009. Following the incident, a total of 35 people from 10 Hindu families filed a general report with the local police station, expressing their anxiety.

A minority women picked up and gang-raped while she was asleep with her husband Sagor Das at Sathiya Upazilla at Pabna district on October. Ms.Purnima Rani –daughter of Dulal Roy of Chitra Para-Joypurhat town was missing having false promise of matrimonial function with Hindu boy. The Muslim perpetrator is a relative of a very powerful Juba League Leader of Joypurhat. Ms.Purnima Rani could not be recovered despite desperate arbitration with the powerful Awami League Leaders was held several times.

Sometimes, the police on duty also neglect to register any case against those perpetrators. Although case was registered after hectic endeavour, but the perpetrators start intimidating the victim’s family constantly. So, a sense of insecurity amongst the Hindu communities prevails. It also indicates a forceful conversion after allurement and false personification. Similarly Ms.Nabami Sarkar –daughter of Akhil Sarkar of village Aimar Rasulpur have been the victim of fraudulent events of such circumstances and Ms.Krishna Rani and Ms. Prativa Rani of Govindapur also become target of such trend.

A process of fraudulent conversion with intent to deceive minority girls is going on with Ms.Shika Debnath daughter of Ms.Mina Debnath of village Shaljune of the same Upazila. Police shows negative response on this particular minority issue if the case is filed at the respective police station. As discontentment prevailed amongst Hindu minorities then the police on 1st October most reluctantly detained Ms.Purnima Roy daughter of Dulal Roy with wearing Burkha under veil covered by her face and body.

Thereafter she was produced before court and the court sent her to judicial custody. A Muslim shrewd boy got a Hindu girl- Krisna Rani Protiva into a trap in the same village of Kusumba Union of Govindapur and later abducted her and absconding. The elder brother of the victim girl protested against this sort of trap and as a result the perpetrators on behalf of the Muslim boy assaulted the victim’s brother. In this connection although case was recorded but police kept them silent. Later on the local people recovered this unfortunate girl.

Sawpan Mondal, 40, a Hindu (Converted Christian) N.G.O. Employee was beaten to death at Soharwardy Uddayan (Ramna Kali Temple) by the some students of Dhaka University branded him to be an extortionist. On last 12th September a group of students of Dhaka University caught him and beaten him mercilessly. Day after morning Sawpan Mondal was died due to torture at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital during treatment. At least 25 Hindu families were evicted in this regime at Kalapara in Patuakhali.

According to the daily Star, Rajshahi Education Board Chairman Dipakendranath Das left the city on 30th August for Dhaka after filing general diaries with two police stations following threats on his life allegedly from the city Mayor A H M Khairuzzaman Liton. The Rajshahi mayor asked the board chairman repeatedly over the phone to upgrade his daughter’s SSC results, Dipakendranath alleged. Khairuzzaman also acknowledged that he had requested Dipakendranath to look into the result of his daughter but denied the allegation of threatening the board chairman.

In his identical GDs filed with Boalia and Rajpara police stations in Rajshahi the education board chairman alleged that he had been asked to leave Rajshahi forever over the phone since August 27. The callers also threatened him with death. He, however, refrained from mentioning names of any individual or party in his GDs. Earlier on August 27, the board chairman alleged that the city mayor threatened to transfer him if he did not entertain his request of upgrading his daughter’s SSC result. Anika Faria Zaman, the mayor’s daughter, secured GPA 4.56 in this year’s SSC examinations.

Dissatisfied with the result she along with 2300 other examinees appealed to the board for review of their results on June 22. As review results came out on August 9, some 23 examinees got their results changed but Anika’s results remained the same.The board chairman explained that Anika failed to get GPA 5 because she secured A minus in Bangla and obtained A in English, Mathematics and Chemistry. “There was no scope of reviewing her result as her review results had already been issued,” he said. Dipakendranath alleged that the mayor threatened him twice –on August 18 and 25 over the phone.

A gang led by Nur Hosssain Master of Soraigachhi attacked the houses of some 74 families including 54 indigenous families at Katirpur of Porsha upazila in Naogaon district on June 12. They torched, damaged and looted the houses and also randomly beat up indigenous men, women and children during the attack.

More than 50 people, including the member-secretary of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, Professor Anu Muhammad, were injured when police charged into marchers heading for Petrobangla headquarters in the capital on 2nd September in protest against the government’s decision to award three offshore blocks to international oil companies.

One bereaved Hindu family is prevented from lodging FIR at Rangunia police station due to continuous threat from murderers. Police trying to suppress the facts of murder, as a result perpetrators get impunity. On 24th July some perpetrators kidnapped Jatindra Lal Dey, 65, of village Sahandi Nagar Hindu Para and strangulated him to half dead and fled away putting him Rangunia Upazila Hospital. Jatindra died on way to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Allegations received from a group of minority communities at village Barman Para within Durgapur Upazila of Netrokona district on August regarding continuous repression against them. In a separate note of signatures condemning the atrocities against them singed by some minority communities it is alleged that a group of perpetrators were continuously committing crime against humanity including physical torture, rape, kidnapping and land grabbing, they also claimed that despite the local administration including their local Member of Parliament were informed asking them to stop continuous atrocities; although the local Member Parliament requested the Officer-in-charge of respective police station to take necessary steps it is unfortunate that no remedial measures taken by police and as such a case has been filed by Bimal Chandra Barman at Durgapur police station.

A Minority School girl belonging to Dalit family at Jessore district was gang raped while she was returning from attending “Kirtan” religious songs on July. The perpetrators dragged victim nearby garden and rape her one after another. In Bhola silent repression upon religious minorities are going on.

More than 100 women and children belonging to Hindus located at
Lord Hardinge 35 miles away from Lalmohan police station reported in
writing that some land grabbers belonging to Muslims with ill motive
instituted false cases in the court against those destitute
law-abinding Hindus enabling them to leave the country.

Because the Chief Judicial Magistrate-Bhola made judicial enquiry on July through a local High school Head Master who is reported to be a activist of Awami
League and took negative view and submitted false report against the
Hindus resulting which those unfortunate Hindus have been arrested
without any tangible allegations.

Although no enquiry was made about the allegations made against those Hindus with regard to their involvement of theft and other false allegations. Maching Khai Marma, 18, was raped then killed with a brick on May 8 in CHT. Goutam Sarker, 33 was killed on 28th September in Dhaka. He was a resident of 47 Farasganj Lane; Sutrapur.He was also the president of Awami Sechasebok League of 79 ward of Dhaka. Goutam was shot dead.

A Catholic family of the Dhaka diocese, under the St. Lawrence Catholic Church, was attacked by local Muslims on October 22. Some people fired guns aimed at the house of the Catholic family. After that, a complaint was filed to the local police station as well as to the state department of US by the victim family with the help of a NGO.

On the other hand, extra judicial killings are a very common matter, still. Another two persons were killed in extra judicial killings in the name of so-called gunfight with police in Sundarban of Bagerhat on 31st October. The killed are Altaf Hossain, 42, and Mizanur Rahman, 35, both residents of Chandrakhali at Rampal in the district.

With these latest incident took to 118 the total death figure from extrajudicial killing such as ‘crossfire’ or ‘encounter’ by the Rapid Action Battalion and the police after January 6 when the Awami League-led government assumed office. Though, the law minister, Barrister Shafique Ahmed told in the same day in a training programme on human rights, there should be initiatives to investigate any kind of extrajudicial killing, as the present government does not believe in such killings.

On 25-26th February at Pilkhana BDR headquarters some of BDR members were revolt and during that time they were mass killings to the meritorious army, looting their money, gold and other wealth’s, mass raped to army officers wife, daughter. By so-called mutineers killed at least 75 peoples including 58 meritorious army officers.

It was a gross human rights violation after the brutal killings of the father of the nation Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Bangladesh.
We want to see fair trial about the real and accused mutineer. We know that, 48 BDR members already died after torture during the detention. Whole nation are waiting for see the justice regarding BDR mutiny. We also want to see the enquiry report about BDR mutiny and killings.

So, a big difference between US state department report and real situation of human rights and minority in Bangladesh. We want to an equal society where there will not torture, all kinds of human rights violation.

Why is the repression of minorities and indigenous peoples still going on in Bangladesh? Bangladesh’s Awami League is now in power. They have always gotten the minority and indigenous votes, with some exceptions. And it has been 38 years since Bangladesh became independent. Enemy or vested property is a black law and it’s a gross tool for minority repression. Our demand is that, this black law should be removed immediately and the ceased property should be returned to real owners or their relatives.

The patriotic journalist Manik Saha was killed by a bomb attack in 2004. Another honest journalist, Diponker Chakraborty from Bogura, was killed by terrorists. From Faridpur, the promising journalist Goutam Das was killed. Principal Gopal Krishna Muhury was killed. All Bengali people know about the young minority girl named Purnima who was gang raped in Sirajgonj. And these were all preplanned incidents. No investigations have taken place and justice had never been served against killing of indigenous community leaders, including Alfred Soren and Choles Ritchil.

We know Bangladesh has no actual democracy, rule of law or education. Most of the people are living in very poor conditions. The obvious problem is that, constitutionally, Islam is the only religion of Bangladesh. But in Bangladesh, there live Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. We have had a secular constitution since our country’s independence. After the killings of Bongobondhu, two generals ruled Bangladesh and made it a monolithic Islamic country.

We want the legitimate demands of the aboriginal and tribal communities to be fulfilled, including the preservation of their distinct cultures and heritage, and the implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Treaty. We want the return of vested property, with a provision of inheritance, to be implemented. We want the government to resist sectarianism, fundamentalism, and fanaticism and to put a stop to all kinds of religious discrimination, deprivation, atrocities, persecution, and harassment.

The attack on the religious minority brings with it the idea of “Islam in the constitution”. The communal spirit began with political motives and ended in mass destruction such as the attack on present Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina back in 2001. The victims of the brutal attack are still looking for justice. At that time also, a bomb attack killed 10 and badly injured 20 others at the Baniarhar Catholic church in Maksudpur, in the Gopalganj district.

In 1998, an indigenous leader, Alfred Soren, was brutally killed by those in power. The day of the attack, the perpetrators looted his house, destroyed his belongings, and set the house on fire. Until now, his family members and the public have never seen the light of justice. Cholesh Richil, an indigenous Christian leader, died in custody on March 18, 2007, following brutal torture at the hands of the army. Richil’s civil rights were grossly violated by government agents. It is puzzling why the government has not yet made a proper investigation to unearth the mystery behind this leader’s death. The perpetrators of this crime should not have impunity. The killing of Richil has not been filed as a criminal case to date.

From 1979 to 1981, the indigenous people of Bangladesh became cornered by landless people from the mainland in the process of their rehabilitation by the government. An ill-fated ten-year-old indigenous child, Klanto Chiham, was killed by brutal teachers after being tortured at Maymansingh. A dacoit, or robber, killed a Christian school teacher, Mangsang, at Madhupur in Tangail. A member of an even smaller minority, Dr. Goni Gomes, a converted Christian from Islam, was killed by Islamic militants.

Latest inhuman incident on the three minority families were happened in Natore of Bangladesh. According to the daily Sangbad, the perpetrators were tried to kills by set fire to the houses of minorities at Tazpur village in Singra upazila of Natore on 1st November, 2009 at night. After this, Rash Bihari was immediately admitted in Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He was seriously injured with burnt. The houses of Ratan Ghosh, Nripen Ghosh and Batbihari Ghosh were totally burnt. In the midnight the attackers locked to the doors of the minorities from the outside. Then, they were set fire to the houses by the petrol.

Sources said, some local influential’s trying to grab to 200 Bigha lands of ‘Debottor’ since long time. On 24th October of this year a group of terrorists lead by an UP member Hasib and Sazedur Rahman Khan were attacked to the minorities at Tazpur village. They were ransacked houses of 12 minority families and they looted money and other wealth. At least 23 peoples including women and child were seriously injured by that attacked. The attackers also raped a minority woman. In this connection a case was filed against the attackers. Total 33 were accused with this case. The case was filed by Sreebash Halder.

The accused were getting bail from the court on 1st November. After that in the same night they were attacked again on the minority families at Tazpur village of Singra.

Another case was filed by Nogendranath Ghosh with Singra police station against attackers. But, attackers yet not arrest. The minority peoples are fear after again and again attacked on them. This incident has been remembering us to the Bashkhali incidents of Chittagong which was happened in the regime of BNP-Jammat government.

We urge the enlightened citizens of Bangladesh to be united and to do something for minority rights and security. Please forget politics. As human rights defenders, we should be impartial, universal, and dedicated to human rights.

The constitution does not give proper identity to the indigenous peoples. This is Bangladesh! We demand that these persecutions stop right now and that the government give all rights to the minority groups and bring the perpetrators to justice. Without real democracy, rule of law, and good governance, how can anyone have hope that the government will punish the real culprits and masterminds of minority torture and other human rights violations? We are waiting eagerly for the trial of war criminals, for the implementation of the verdict of Bangabondhu killers, and are waiting for the justice to be served to the killers of the four national leaders. We also want to see the current government reestablish the constitution of 1972 and stop mixing politics with religion.

Lastly, we want to demand that the government immediately form a public inquiry committee to investigate all cases of minority oppression and human rights violations that have occurred since independence. Again, only investigate is not enough; we think that those involved with minority oppression and human rights violations should be brought under justice. Otherwise, it will never be possible to establish the rule of law. If the government wants to take these actions, then it should, first of all, reestablish 1972 constitution. Secondly, it should immediately bring to trial cases involving war crimes, jail murders, and the Bangabondhu murder case, and should punish the accused. It also needs to take strict action to stop Islamic militants. Otherwise, there will be no peace and happiness.

We hope that the present government will take immediate action against minority and indigenous persecution. And our demand is that all the perpetrators should be brought under justice. Now there is a ‘democratic’ government. So, what is the problem in stopping minority torture and extrajudicial killings? Let us be united and fight and pressure the present government to stop minority repression and state torture.

In this gang, Tauhidul Islam Bhuiya (Sumon) is in murder charges and even though he is supposed to in trials, he remains free. When police came, they said: “It is not kidnapping. It is love affairs between kidnapper and victim” and to many this does not seem like a love affair. The police do not want to keep in the flow with this case and evne though they have looked upon the case in video, the physical harm done to the house, the cry from the girl’s uncle, and the request from the family to help them get Koli back.

This still stays the same, Richard Benkin said in his blog, that the victims are commonly the young girls, women, and sometimes bodys. The government official that was in the issue suggested that the govenment is supporting these types of kidnapping and harrasing, converting a human to take against their will. What the Muslims have to understand is that even though they might think that forcing someone to go against their own will might make their religion more powerful, well, that might now become the case. They have to userstand that if they do not show the good path, one day the ones that were Muslim due to their ancestors for a long time will quit Islam and say that it is a forceful religion. If this continues, then one day the religion that was built forcefully will be closed down with no power from the physical strength but the mental.

Richard Benkin’s Blog

From Chotto Mind’s Blog

In Bangladesh the brutal persecution on the religious Christian minority and ethnic Indigenous are rolling on in a stream roller mode. Until now the persecution that the both community faced never saw that light of justice. The culture of justice denial is the root of all persecution on the ethnic and religious minorities and it’s not the partial but a whole part of criminal justice system in Bangladesh.

The General Zia and his ancestors introduced the persecution on the minorities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh was blessed with the Islamization by the mechanism under military regime in absence of parliamentarian democracy. Bangladesh was not born with blessings to be communal but with a spirit of Islamization but a secular policy. The attack on the religious minority bring with the idea of “Islam in the constitution”.

The communal spirit began with the political motive and end with mass destruction such as attack on present prime minister S Hasina Wazed back in the year 2001. The victims of the brutal attack are still looking forward for justice. At the Baniar chor catholic church in moksedpur of Goplagonj, at that time Bomb attack 10 were killed and 20 others were badly injured.
In 1998 an indigenous leader Alfred Soren was killed brutally by the vested quarter. In the day of the attack the perpetrators fired the house and looted the house and demolished the belongings. Until now the people and family members never have seen the light of the Justice. Richil died in custody on March 18, 2007 following Army brutal torture. Richil’s civil rights were grossly violated by government’s agent. It puzzles us why the government has not yet made proper investigation to unearth the mystery behind the tribal leader’s death. The perpetrators of this crime should not receive impunity. The killing of Choles is not filled as case until now. The minor in minority the converted Christian from Islam Dr.Goni Gomes was killed by the Islamic militant.

In midst of 1979 to 1981 the indigenous people become cornered by the main land landless people in process of their rehabilitation by the government. The child klanto chiham was killed who was a ill fated 10 years old indigenous child killed by the brutal teachers after torture at Maymansingh . The dacoit killed a Christian school teacher Mangsang at Madhupur in Tangail.

The constitution did not give proper identity to the indigenous peoples. This is Bangladesh! We demand that these persecutions should stop right now and government should give all rights to them and bring the perpetrators under law. In Bangalee Indigenous peoples has not recognize our constitution.

Now Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) in power of Bangladesh. BAL was led our independence fought. So, peoples hope that present government should clean the black spot from our constitution and they rein stead of the constitution of 1972. We hope, this government should do constitutional zed of our minority and Indigenous peoples rights.

If the government wants to do something for minority community then it’s not a matter for them. But for this should need real wish and fresh good plan. So, we want to see rule of law, secularism and the equality everywhere in Bangladesh which will be implement by the government.

The daily star published a report on 27th July, 2009. That report was told that, over two hundred members of the indigenous community yesterday began a two-day long march across 55 kilometres from Porsha upazila to Naogaon town yesterday to protest attacks on indigenous families.The march was organised under the banner of Jatiya Adibashi Parishad (JAP) after a gang led by Nur Hosssain Master of Soraigachhi attacked the houses of some 74 families including 54 indigenous families at Katirpur on June 12. They torched, damaged and looted the houses and also randomly beat up indigenous men, women and children during the attack.
Since the attack, some 300 members of the affected families have been left without homes, and the local administration has not come forward to help them, the protesters allege.

On the first day yesterday, the protesters walked some 30 kilometres from Soraigachhi in Porsha to Mohadevpur upazila sadar.
They will be joined by 300 more people this morning as they begin the march to Naogaon town. At Naogaon they will submit a memorandum to the local administration.

The protesters are carrying traditional bows and arrows to show that they will fight for their demands for security and protection of their ancestral lands, JAP leaders said.

They have meanwhile placed forward a nine-point demand which include demands for their rights and security, the arrest of Nur Hossain Master and his accomplices and the removal of the officer-in-charge of Porsha police station as the OC, they allege, is joining hands with the land grabbers.

Their demands also include constitutional recognition, formation of a land commission and a separate ministry for plain land indigenous people.

Communist Party of Bangladesh’s central committee member Dr Fazlul Haque, Naogaon unit president Mainul Haque Mukul, general secretary Mohsin Reza, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal leader Subhrangsu Chakrabarti and Joynal Abedin, Jatiya Krishak Samity’s general secretary Aminul Islam Golap, Dinajpur unit president Abdul Haque, and Workers’ Party’s Mainuddin Chisti took part in the march and expressed their solidarity.

Jahangir Alam Akash
Journalist, Writer & HR Defender
jahangiralamakash@gmail.com
www.humanrightstoday.info

http://www.youtube.com/user/jaakashbd

Handy: 004917644556802
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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 .

For only the Indian Muslims, there are the The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act 1937 which gives the Muslims in the right to marriage, dower, divorce, maintenance, gift, waqf and inheritance. But for the Hindus in Bangladesh, which is a country right next to India and have a majority or Muslims do not have any law supporting the Hindus and the minorities but have against it.

One of that is the Vested Property Act which was actually made by the leader or the Father of the Country, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who made the law that if any person, a Hindu left the country to India, then the governement had the right to take over the property that was owned by that Hindu. The pronounced that if you go to India, you are the country’s enemy but if you go to Pakistan or any other country, you are not considered to be enemy of the country.

So, still why do the Muslims in India consider themselves minority and still want more benefit? Did they get the same hardships that the Hindus are getting in Bangladesh and many other Middle East countries like Pakistan and Afganistan? They do not even have the same factors that they are watching. But still why do they want more and more freedom? Do they want to stop their worship that the Hindus are doing and people like me who had seen all those know about it all. Yeah it might have changed a little bit now with the new government, but why was it even stopped at the first place? What if the Muslims in India were not able to celebrate their Eid like us who can’t celebrate our Durga Puja?

Human Rights in Bangladesh

Humanize the Human Rights are the people’s demand of the time in Bangladesh. Some time in many issues we have experienced the raising voice against the factual human rights violations. Same time we do experienced the political partisanship and demoralization of human rights groups as well as individual Human Rights defenders. As a example human rights organizations are divided in the name and favor of politics, religion and donor orientated agenda and propaganda. Recently in the partition in the filed of Human Rights was focused in the argument on the issue of election monitoring of Bangladesh Ninth Parliamentary Elections. The two main political parties gave objection to the election commission objecting the partisanship of the selected NGO’s in the 34 members Election Working Group donated by international donor agencies . 

The major print and electronic media of Bangladesh has covered the facts widely. The said fact obviously brings in light the facts about the division and demoralization based on politics among the human rights group in Bangladesh. The democratic frame was stumbled by the demoralization of Human rights in Bangladesh.

I don’t oppose the practice of politics of individual or community. I do not wish the rule of military regime or dictatorship indeed. In the same time I do also don’t want to see the Human Rights of the peoples would be delimited and the rights of the people will be violated for the sake of political opinion or practice by the Human Rights instruments.  

The other division is very vocal and that creates a vital crucial division in the filed of Human Rights and also a great hindrance in the way to promote communal harmony and equip Human rights. There area certain Human Rights groups those who are working namely protecting the Human Rights of the peoples. But they only armed with hearted slogan in mind for others to protect the rights of the certain Religious groups with an ultra communal attitude.  

Among the irrational groups there are also highly inner divisions. Some are of them extensively working for the Hindus while others are highly sensitize for the Christian or others own faith .By these groups the Human Rights of the peoples are highly violated with high profile communal attitude.  

While the atheist groups are blaming the all religion in general as the root cause of all human rights violations and highly propagating to convince the people not to believe in Religion. 

Bangladesh is a poor developing country; the NGO’s mainly depends on foreign fund. The Ngo’s always tried to gain the foreign fund and the donor agency crucially enforces their propaganda related agenda with an ulterior motive. And that cause another highly diplomatic defect in the filed of Human Rights.  

 As an example the Arab based donor organizations donate the faith based Islamic fascist Ngo’s to Islamize the country. In past days Bangladesh government’s Intelligence agency like National Securities of Intelligence (NSI) and Directorate General of Intelligence (DGFI) has traced a bunch of Ngo’s who are patronizing the Islamic extremist and their Slogan for Islamization of the country. The Arab based facilitation influx the Islamic fascism and farm communal hatred that ends with a grenade attack or suicide bomb attack that’s kills thousands of innocent peoples and progressive peoples. Bangladesh’s present Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed, progressive British diplomat Anwar chowdhury was also among target who was targeted by the Islamic fascist to kill. 

 Any kind of division is a high hindrance in protecting the Human Rights of the people and equipping the peace and justice in the Human family. As all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights, the Human rights groups or individual shouldn’t deny protecting the rights violated people of any belief or disbelief or for any political opinion indeed. It’s time to think locally but act globally to enroll the justice and peace. 

[William Gomes is an independent human rights activist, a Catholic ecumenical activist, and a political analyst. He is also the Executive Director of the Christian Development Alternative (CDA), a national organization against torture and human rights violations. He  can be contacted by email at cda.exe@gmail.com.]

Bangladeshi Muslim Doctor in Forced Marriage

Everyone is talking about Dr. Humayra Abedin and that what a big step it is for the rights of women in the UK. Lots of girls from Pakistan and Bangladesh are forced to marry unknown people from their respective countries. Sometimes they are viciously abused as it was the case for this doctor from the UK. 

A big problem especially for Bangladesh is that sometimes the parents are paid a high amount by the groom to marry their daughters so that he can move to UK/US. Therefore, it is a serious issue that need to be dealt with.

Apparently a lot of people do not know the reason behind this rage of her parents. The reason is because she had a good friendship with a Hindu man from Bangladesh. 

Her Muslim family became incensed after she developed a close friendship with a Hindu Bangladeshi man she met in London. Since May, they have made several attempts to keep her away from him and to force her into marriage. The Metropolitan Police launched an inquiry at the end of June, after she was held captive in her flat by her mother and uncle, who visited for several days. Her case has also been taken up by Interpol.

Read More: London doctor is held as forced marriage hostage

The interesting thing was that she did not necessarily had a romantic relationship with this person but a very close friendship. However, their parents got very threatened because of this. Therefore, I guess the Muslim women of Bangladesh should even have to be careful of becoming friends with Hindu guys.

The Islamic society has been very conservative and a lot of people claim out of touch in terms of women rights. A person, who has the capability and smartness to become a doctor, should be trusted to make her own decisions. However, unfortunately, the idea of treating women with the same respect as men is still new to them.

Richard Benkin

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Richard L. Benkin to our site. Through personal email discussions, I found Dr. Benkin to be most considerate when it comes down to helping the Hindus of Bangladesh. He has been to Bangladesh and India several times involving human rights issues.

He was also the champion behind the lobby of getting Shoaib Chowdhury released from jail. Mr. Chowdhury, a journalist from Bangladesh was arrested for advocating peace between Islam and Judaism. Dr. Benkin has worked on many projects alongside Mr. Chowdhury and therefore has crucial knowledge on where minorities face hardships, including property rights, rape, assault, cultural genocide etc.

I would like you to check out his site Interfaith Strength. He started this site to encourage understanding between different faiths and encourage discussion of human rights violations.

He is planning to visit India soon to lobby for human rights for Bangladeshi Hindus. We strongly appreciate his goal and honest approach. We would like to request everyone to donate to Dr. Benkin’s cause. The information on how to help him in his journey will be posted soon. However,  even $1 donation would be a great start and you can help him to help our people in Bangladesh.