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

Tags: Bangladesh, extremism, fascism, Islam, islamic terrorism, racism, torture, violence

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.

Tags: buddhist, fascism, minority, racism, Religion, temple, violence

Violence on Hindu Women in Bangladesh. Picture: William Gomes

United Nation has titled “Women and men united to end violence against women and girls” the theme for International women’s day 2009.  International women’s day was started as a political event and blended in the culture in many countries of the world. Only 24 women have been elected heads of state or government in this century.  It’s a matter of virtual achievement that Bangladesh has honored with two women leader Sheikh Hasina Wazed and Begum Khaleda Zia.

After 35 years of independence of Bangladesh and Begum Khaleda Zia has ruled the country for about 10 years (longest period). She has been elected to five separate parliamentary constituencies in the general elections of 1991, 1996, and 2001, a feat unachieved by any other politician in Bangladeshi history.

Sheikh Hasina’s party defeated Begum Khaleda Zia’s BNP in the 2008 Parliamentary Elections. Her party achieved a landslide victory reminiscent to the 1971 elections of Pakistan. Under her leadership, the party has achieved a supermajority in parliament, controlling 230 seats out of 299. Sheikh Hasina Wazed is the present prime minister of Bangladesh.  Both of them have served as the head of the state for different period. If you look at the other side of coin you will easily realize the situation of the women’s in Bangladesh.

Different false extortion and murder case was filed by politically motivated the Bangladesh police during the military backed interim government against Sheikh Hasina Wazed. The military backed interim government subsequently prevents Hasina and issued ban to return to her own motherland.

The military backed interim government arrested Sheikh Hasina wazed with ulterior motive to draw portrait of

Helpless Hindu Women; Picture: William Gomes

Pakistan to force her to into political exile. The progressive concern all over the world protested on her arrest.

On June 11, 2008 Hasina was released on parole for medical reasons and the next day she flew to the United States to be treated for hearing impairment, eye problems and high blood pressure. Prof. Syed Modasser Ali, her personal physician, threatened to sue the caretaker government over negligence regarding Hasina’s treatment during her detention.

On September 2, 2007, a case was filed against Zia by the interim government for corruption regarding the awarding of contracts to Global Agro Trade Company in 2003, and on September 3, 2007 she was arrested. On government’s executive order Zia was released later .

Although the Islam always pritirize women and give honor to women that is  cleraifed in  Sura Al-Baqarah, verse.282 in the Holy Quran  the Islamic facist has questioned the  women leadership and manily targeted Sheikh Hasina Wazed.

On August 21, 2004, a murderous attack took place on Sheikh Hasina while she was addressing a public rally in Dhaka. In this incident 23 people were killed. One of the victims was Ivy Rahman, a close associate of Sheikh Hasina. Sheikh Hasina herself narrowly escaped with some injuries. Until now she is carryuing the injuries in her body and she become nearly deaf.

In past election campaign Hsian and Khaleda Zia campaign under foolproof security arrangements and moved with the high security of Special Security Force (SSF) with fear of beign of targeted by the Islamic fascist. The top women leaders are paying the price of Islamization of Bangladesh indeed. The transition to democracy is always jeopardized by Islamic fascists with a demand of Islamic theocracy.

Violence on Women

On year 2008, country wide 518 cases of Violence against women claimed according to a survey report released by Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights organisation, reported by “The daily star “on 2009-01-01.

Of the victims, 172 women were killed over dowry and 246 in domestic violence while 83 killed after rape. The list also includes 17 female domestic helps. Besides, 367 more women were raped and eight of them committed suicide during the one-year period. Two domestic helps also committed suicide. Also, 20 women fell victim to fatwa (religious edict).

Violence against women is becoming more and more of a common and widespread issue across the country. The legal process to combat gender-based violence is complicated. Some of the major ones are: physical violence, sexual harassment, trafficking/kidnapping, acid attack, dowry, wife battering, fatwa, eve teasing, murder, rape, gang rape and many more. State intervention towards preventing violence against women is inadequate till date. The minority women and children are always victimized by the Islamic fascist where the government has failed to secure the rights of minority women and children. Although government has signed different International convention and introduce special law to protect the women and children the government always failed to secure the women and children. As a result we saw the women and children become victim of brutality in Bangladesh. When two begums were victimized, uncounted ill fated are crying for justice.

Khaleda Zia: Accused of Various Corruptions and Attacks on Minority Communities

Tags: Bangladesh, violence, women

Muslim Violence in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh—At 10am today, local time, internationally-acclaimed journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, was attacked as he was working in the office of his newspaper, Weekly Blitz, by “a gang of thugs” claiming to be from Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League.  I spoke by telephone with Choudhury as he awaited medical treatment for eye, neck, and other injuries suffered in the attack.  The renewed violence marks the first against him since he was abducted by Bangladesh’s dreaded Rapid Action Battalion a year ago.

A large group stormed Blitz premises and attacked newspaper staff until they found Choudhury.  At that point, he said, “they dragged me [and two staff] into the street” where they beat them “in broad daylight…They looted my office and stole my laptop” with “all my sensitive information.  As of this writing, the attackers continue to occupy the Blitz office.

According to Choudhury, the police were impassive and seemed intimidated when the attackers emphasized their party membership and accused him of being an agent of the Israeli Mossad.  They later threatened to attack his home should Choudhury go to the police again.

Choudhury was arrested in 2003 by government agents, in cooperation with Islamist forces, because of his advocacy of relations with Israel and religious equality, and his articles exposing the rise of radical Islam in Bangladesh.  He was tortured and held for seventeen months and only released after strong pressure by human rights activist Dr. Richard Benkin and US Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL).  In 2007, the US Congress passed a Kirk-introduced resolution 409-1 calling on Bangladesh to stop harassing Choudhury and drop capital charges against him after extensive evidence confirmed them to be false, contrary to Bangladeshi law, and as admitted by successive Bangladeshi officials, maintained only to appease Islamists.  The Bangladeshi government continues to remain in defiance of that resolution and its provisions.

Tags: Bangladesh, journalist, violence

By William Gomes

As a part of a country wide tour to observe the situation of the pre-election situation of the minority people, I have traveled to different parts of Bangladesh. In the process I was informed about situations that were highly alarming. They applied not only to religious or ethnic minorities but also to cultural minorities. Individual people who never dreamed of politicizing their quest have however continued to demand for justice and peace through the years.

The people are screaming for a better Bangladesh, they are screaming for justice and peace. The left or the right of politics means nothing to them. The NGO’s in Bangladesh are politicized. As a human rights activist, I have traced the links to some of these NGO’s to both BNP and Awami League. Recently some 25 of the organizations which have links to these two political parties will be officially questioned during the forth coming election.

They are powered by the funding organizations, if you say something they will seek in the name of discrimination in the western countries. They do know well, how to beat the cat. One more time they will present the beloved country nakedly before the international community. As their naked dance continues they fund is raising, they become the hero and savior of Bangladesh. Some of them already tilted with the international award.

Recently I was traveling with a team to visit the Hindu family; the family was attacked by communal quarter. I asked a very gentleman, that what your plan to stop the communal violence is. He replied that we don’t have fund to work on that. That is right that there is no one to fund to stop the communal violence, rape or other types of violence. The so called savior of the poor nation, also don’t want work want that foul component.

These are the peoples carrying “the virtual lorry of the dead bodies” to the different international platform and being praised and raise fund and get awards.

I was trying to explain this fact to the renowned Jewish Human rights activist Dr.Richard Benkin, who is working for the peoples of Bangladesh by the years. He does have his own discernment about the situations of Bangladesh.

I believe he is among few, who do want to stop the violence and give a great fund to peoples of Bangladesh, the justice and peace. Although he is a Zionist and I do not agree with all of his works, but I do agree the way he work out to on the filed of strengthening the inter religious dialogue in some aspect. I do salute him that he is not business man of dead bodies ….

To be continued …..

[William Gomes is a Catholic Human rights activist, freelance journalist and the executive director of the Human rights organization “Christian Development Alternative(CDA). Visit:www.persecutionbd.org Email:CDA.exe@gmail.com, Cell:+8801912342809]

Tags: Bangladesh, fund, persecutionbd.org, violence