To tolerate evils is to abet them
Are 500 Hindus leaving Bangladesh every day?
By Shamsuddin Ahmed - New Nation Editorial
Hindu-Boudha-Christian Oikya Parishad of Bangladesh has launched a tirade against the country that tantamount to treason. Its branch in USA is saying that 500 minority Hindus are leaving the country to India every day due to persecution and oppression. The alliance government has started the process so that the people of the minority community could not cast votes in the ensuing election.
A report published in a Dhaka tabloid said a delegation of HBCOP headed by its US branch president Roop Kumar Bhowmik on April 17 met with representatives of Pentagon, State Department, World Bank and Senate Foreign Relations Committee separately. The delegation painted a picture how members of the Hindu community are suffering from oppression and persecution and leaving homes for India for fear of life and honour. Bhowmik and his teammates did not stop there. They tried to convince the US officials that Bangladesh has posed a security threat to South Asia because of rise and expansion of militant fundamentalism in the country.
It is nonsense and blatant lies. HBCOP should be called to show who and from which part of the country 500 Hindus are leaving for India every day. It is naive think nor a man of simple knowledge would believe that this impoverished Bangladesh is a threat to the peace and stability to the region. The real objective of the propaganda is nothing but to obliterate Bangladesh from the map as dreamt by the Indian Congress while unwillingly accepting the partition of the subcontinent nearly six decades ago.
This writer checked up with HBCOP general secretary in Dhaka Nim Chandra Bhowmik. It is no surprise that he fully endorsed the views of Roop Kumar Bhowmik. According to Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Hindus are leaving this country in large numbers, 500 every day on an average. He claimed the reasons as "they are constitutionally deprived of equal rights, subjected to discrimination in government services, persecution and oppression by fundamentalists." He fumbled when asked if Jamaat-e-Islami, which is described by its political foes as fundamentalists, is behind persecution and oppression and if he can offer any instance thereof. Nim Chandra argued that the minorities are poorly represented in parliament, barely 7 in 300-member house and none in the cabinet, and in government services including the Armed Forces. He blamed the major political parties for sidetracking the minority communities. The fact remains that the rate of unemployment in Bangladesh is high. A large number of Bangladeshi youths irrespective of religion are unemployed in the absence of job opportunity. They are hankering after going abroad in search of job. Many sell landed property for going abroad through manpower agents. Many return after a miserable journey as we seen in newspaper reports. There may be instances that members of the minority community left for better off India for employment.
I am born in a Hindu dominant area of Munshiganj district and have seen the exodus of Hindus after the partition to India. They had gone under no persecution but with the belief that Pakistan was created for the Muslims and Indian for the Hindus. In early 60s, I had the opportunity of living in the Hindu dominated old Dhaka city. There I found most residents could not reconcile with the creation of Pakistan. They used to subscribe Ananda Bazar Patrika and tune to Indian Radio. Tuning of Indian radio was banned and the then Pakistan Observer reported the government step the following morning in front page under the heading 'Regimentation of Culture!' The ban could not be implemented. Entry of Indian newspapers was however prohibited successfully.
Members of Hindu community are well respected and honoured in the society and administration provided lot of facilities also had their heart half in India. Brozen Das, hero of crossing the English Channel, was doing brisk business here but used to keep his family in Kolkata. He went to Kolkata few years ago and died there. There are many Hindu businessmen whose families are living in India. Many businessmen and even bank officials have fled the country with huge money. A well-placed teacher who used to taught son of my colleague has recently joined his family in Kolkata. None of them were ever persecuted or oppressed in the society. In fact, they do it because of their traditional anti-Muslims mindset.
The nasty propaganda of HBCOP is part of a long and deep-rooted conspiracy against this country. After the October 2001 general elections, several stage-managed documentary films were made falsely depicting atrocities on the minority. The films, video- and audio-cassettes said to have recorded in some villages in Bangladesh. The films and cassettes were seized from Shahriar Kabir on his return by plane from Kolkata at ZIA airport. Shahriar was arrested from the airport on November 22, 2001. Secret agencies after investigation ascertained that the films were made and cassettes recorded stage-managed in some West Bengal villages. Shahriar, convenor of Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee, was prosecuted on charge of treason but the case never proceeded for reasons not known to the people. If he were tried and punished HBCOP would not possibly dared to proceed with the heinous propaganda against the country.
HBCOP propaganda is encouraging the Indian leaders. Indian state minister Jairam Ramesh talking to correspondents representing the Indian media during his recent visit to Dhaka expressed concern that secular foundation of Bangladesh is eroded.
He said India believe that some Bangladeshi citizens are working to create problems in India. Apostle of secularism Jairam should be reminded of the Gujarat mayhem and frequent riots in secular India in which hapless minority Muslims were butchered in connivance with the administration.
It is no good always following the policy of appeasement. HBCOP should be asked to prove the allegation or face dire consequences. Acting against the country sitting in this soil and enjoying all benefits must not be allowed. Let us all remember the Chinese proverb: To tolerate evils is to abet them.
By Shamsuddin Ahmed - New Nation Editorial
Hindu-Boudha-Christian Oikya Parishad of Bangladesh has launched a tirade against the country that tantamount to treason. Its branch in USA is saying that 500 minority Hindus are leaving the country to India every day due to persecution and oppression. The alliance government has started the process so that the people of the minority community could not cast votes in the ensuing election.
A report published in a Dhaka tabloid said a delegation of HBCOP headed by its US branch president Roop Kumar Bhowmik on April 17 met with representatives of Pentagon, State Department, World Bank and Senate Foreign Relations Committee separately. The delegation painted a picture how members of the Hindu community are suffering from oppression and persecution and leaving homes for India for fear of life and honour. Bhowmik and his teammates did not stop there. They tried to convince the US officials that Bangladesh has posed a security threat to South Asia because of rise and expansion of militant fundamentalism in the country.
It is nonsense and blatant lies. HBCOP should be called to show who and from which part of the country 500 Hindus are leaving for India every day. It is naive think nor a man of simple knowledge would believe that this impoverished Bangladesh is a threat to the peace and stability to the region. The real objective of the propaganda is nothing but to obliterate Bangladesh from the map as dreamt by the Indian Congress while unwillingly accepting the partition of the subcontinent nearly six decades ago.
This writer checked up with HBCOP general secretary in Dhaka Nim Chandra Bhowmik. It is no surprise that he fully endorsed the views of Roop Kumar Bhowmik. According to Nim Chandra Bhowmik, Hindus are leaving this country in large numbers, 500 every day on an average. He claimed the reasons as "they are constitutionally deprived of equal rights, subjected to discrimination in government services, persecution and oppression by fundamentalists." He fumbled when asked if Jamaat-e-Islami, which is described by its political foes as fundamentalists, is behind persecution and oppression and if he can offer any instance thereof. Nim Chandra argued that the minorities are poorly represented in parliament, barely 7 in 300-member house and none in the cabinet, and in government services including the Armed Forces. He blamed the major political parties for sidetracking the minority communities. The fact remains that the rate of unemployment in Bangladesh is high. A large number of Bangladeshi youths irrespective of religion are unemployed in the absence of job opportunity. They are hankering after going abroad in search of job. Many sell landed property for going abroad through manpower agents. Many return after a miserable journey as we seen in newspaper reports. There may be instances that members of the minority community left for better off India for employment.
I am born in a Hindu dominant area of Munshiganj district and have seen the exodus of Hindus after the partition to India. They had gone under no persecution but with the belief that Pakistan was created for the Muslims and Indian for the Hindus. In early 60s, I had the opportunity of living in the Hindu dominated old Dhaka city. There I found most residents could not reconcile with the creation of Pakistan. They used to subscribe Ananda Bazar Patrika and tune to Indian Radio. Tuning of Indian radio was banned and the then Pakistan Observer reported the government step the following morning in front page under the heading 'Regimentation of Culture!' The ban could not be implemented. Entry of Indian newspapers was however prohibited successfully.
Members of Hindu community are well respected and honoured in the society and administration provided lot of facilities also had their heart half in India. Brozen Das, hero of crossing the English Channel, was doing brisk business here but used to keep his family in Kolkata. He went to Kolkata few years ago and died there. There are many Hindu businessmen whose families are living in India. Many businessmen and even bank officials have fled the country with huge money. A well-placed teacher who used to taught son of my colleague has recently joined his family in Kolkata. None of them were ever persecuted or oppressed in the society. In fact, they do it because of their traditional anti-Muslims mindset.
The nasty propaganda of HBCOP is part of a long and deep-rooted conspiracy against this country. After the October 2001 general elections, several stage-managed documentary films were made falsely depicting atrocities on the minority. The films, video- and audio-cassettes said to have recorded in some villages in Bangladesh. The films and cassettes were seized from Shahriar Kabir on his return by plane from Kolkata at ZIA airport. Shahriar was arrested from the airport on November 22, 2001. Secret agencies after investigation ascertained that the films were made and cassettes recorded stage-managed in some West Bengal villages. Shahriar, convenor of Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee, was prosecuted on charge of treason but the case never proceeded for reasons not known to the people. If he were tried and punished HBCOP would not possibly dared to proceed with the heinous propaganda against the country.
HBCOP propaganda is encouraging the Indian leaders. Indian state minister Jairam Ramesh talking to correspondents representing the Indian media during his recent visit to Dhaka expressed concern that secular foundation of Bangladesh is eroded.
He said India believe that some Bangladeshi citizens are working to create problems in India. Apostle of secularism Jairam should be reminded of the Gujarat mayhem and frequent riots in secular India in which hapless minority Muslims were butchered in connivance with the administration.
It is no good always following the policy of appeasement. HBCOP should be asked to prove the allegation or face dire consequences. Acting against the country sitting in this soil and enjoying all benefits must not be allowed. Let us all remember the Chinese proverb: To tolerate evils is to abet them.
posted by Faylasuf at 6:09 PM
25 Comments:
The author seems to guide the whole writing one way. The fact is : it is bothways. There are many Hindu families those come to India without having any trouble in Bangladesh. But, there are many people who come to India after facing attack. There was a riot in Bangladesh after Babri Masjid demolition in India. That caused a lot of people to come to India. Our maid servant was one of them. In 2001, when BNP stared crack down on oppositions, there were some more people who came out. But I don't think this is a relion based attack.
There are also some people who come out without any fear and only because of Economic reasons. My wife may be one of them. She wdn't have got a better job in Bangladesh than what he's doing in India. She did never face any problem in Dhaka. But they retain their love for Bangladesh and Bangladesshi people unlike the former.
The option left for Bangladesh is to drive out all Hindu-Bouddha-Christians out of the country. That will drive out the "evils" of the country.
India might think sorting out 'evils' the way you are prescribing, but Bangladeshis are still very patient.
The 'evil' refers to a particular organisation here. Twisting a subject matter doesn't help anything.
No, that is not an option for Bangladesh. There are numerous Hindu, Buddha and Christian patriots living in Bangladesh. What you prescribed is an 'evil' and racist thought.
There was no riot in Bangladesh after the Babri Mosque demolition. Your servant is obviously lying. Your servant is not valid 'reference'. He migrated to India becauese he just wanted to. The 'riot' in many cases is just an excuse.
[i]There was no riot in Bangladesh after the Babri Mosque demolition.[/i] - Unfortunately it is not true. The Taslima Nasrin novel Lajja is about that riot.
I can give you two examples of Govt sponsored religious discrimination. I don't really care about common riots, because common people are illiterates.
1. The Government of Bangladesh on 8 January 2004 banned all publications of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Bangladesh, which represents the country's 1,50,000 strong Muslim minority sect, bowing to pressure from Islamic fundamentalists. The government also decided to withdraw cases against 12,000 anti-Ahmadiyya activists, charged with assaulting policemen while attacking an Ahmadiyya mosque in Dhaka on December 5.
2.The Vested Property Act is considered to be another symbol of institutional discrimination upon the minority community in Bangladesh. Thousands of people belonging to the minority Hindu community as well as indigenous people have been dispossessed of their property by the brutal implementation of this law. Immediately after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in India, the Bangladesh government along the same lines ordered identification of "Enemy Property" in Bangladesh in tune with the Vested Property Act.
Regarding Riots in 1992:
The 1993 HR reports say -
Following the destruction by Hindu radicals of the Babri mosque
in Ayodhya, India in December 1992, a backlash occurred in many
parts of Bangladesh. Some Hindu temples were reportedly looted
and destroyed. The Government reacted quickly and successfully
contained most public demonstrations in the major cities,
keeping violent actions against Hindu communities and property
to a minimum. In many rural areas, however, Hindu communities
received less effective police protection.
http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/ERC/democracy/1993_hrp_report/93hrp_report_sasia/Bangladesh.html
You are giving Taslima's novel a reference ! Yeah, for you she can be a reference but for Bangladeshis not a chance! You can twist and turn everything as long as you want. But I am not going to fall into your trap.
Hindus do leave the country mostly because they want to and that's a fact. Like it or not.
Your servant had to leave the country for the 'riot' you specified in HR report ? Give me a break ! Surely, you are pathetically biased. Someone who gives taslima as a reference, I have no intention to bother even.
There was no incidence then and now that could result in 500 Hindus leaving the country every day. That's the bottom line !
Mr. Ashoke A. Biswas, a noted Indian analyst and research scholar commenting on RAW's involvement with Taslima said, "The latest examples of RAW's mischief has been the notorious discovery of Taslima Nasreen. This immoral, third rate writer was initially lionized by Calcutta media and then financed by RAW. Taslima's literary mentors in Calcutta encouraged her to challenge the fundamental tenets of Islam, knowing fully well that it would have an adverse reaction among devout Muslims. Here the plan of RAW was to create internal turmoil in Bangladesh as well as to arouse the western feminist and anti-fundamentalist lobby against Islam".
The RAW's objectives for publishing 'Lajjya' are as follows:
a. To create hatred against Bangladeshi Muslims by projecting them as fanatics. Also to paint Bangladesh as a Muslim fundamentalist state.
b. To bring disrepute.to Islamic values and culture.
c. To raise the' demand for obliterating the map of Bangladesh and merge it with India on the ground that minority community
(Hindu) is not safe in the country.
d. To hit economic interest of Bangladesh by presenting her as a Muslim fundamentalists country where rights of minorities are not safe. RAW hoped that after such adverse 'propaganda' donor countries may cut or reduce econoJllic aid to Bangladesh.
e. To promote civil unrest by creatftlg polarisation in the society. RAW knew that TasIima's uttering will be resented by Muslfm masses and will lead to establishment of two camps, one in favour of Taslima and the other against her.
What was taslima trying to prove? Patriotism? Her ‘humanitarianism’, which hangs round her neck like an albatross, weighty, but drawing sufficient attention to her prized position? Or is she just another writer with perfect timing and a sharp marketing sense? Had she not written ‘Lajja’, she would have continued to be a minor writer in Bangladesh wooing labels and watching CNN.
Taslima Nasrin is not my only point, I have pointed out to the 2 clear incidents where BD govt had made laws against minorities.
The sponsorship that Taslima Nasrin gets is mostly from Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. So, you mean to say these countries are also involved in maligning Bangladesh image? Rather, let me reiterate, how many Western countries are there who support the position of Bangladesh on Taslima? Remember this was before US war on terror ...
I accept your comment on Taslima as a third grade writer blown out of proportion because of her topics. But that does not mean whatever she wrote were wrong.
And are the HR report of International bodies are "pathetically biased"? - I know every country say it like this -"The HR report about all other countries is correct except ours."
I won't comment on RAW, because, I know whatever happens in India, ISI is blamed. Similar fashion should exist in Bangladesh also. "There cannot be any problem inside these countries, all their people are innocent and all the mishaps are creation of externals" - that's a popular claim in entire South Asia. This is only a political way to divert illiterate population from their failures.
Happy blogging ...
Further reference for you, the answers.com site says :
http://www.answers.com/topic/babri-mosque
"On November 2, 1989 the first stone for the planned new temple was laid. The events of November 2 1989 led to riots in Bangladesh and Pakistan, which left 50,000 Hindus homeless in Bangladesh. 245 Hindu temples were demolished in Pakistan. More than 200 Hindu temples were demolished in Bangladesh."
Further ... reference.com says
"Since the rise of more explicitly Islamist political formations in Bangladesh during the 1990s, many Hindus have been intimidated or attacked, and fairly substantial numbers are leaving the country."
It seems the rest of the world are filled with RAW agents and they all want to malign Bangladesh image.
"It seems the rest of the world are filled with RAW agents and they all want to malign Bangladesh image."
Unfortunately , It's true what you said. The Indian lobby is strong all over the world and it plays a great role in diminishing Bangladesh (along with other neighbours) in every way possible.
All the websites that you mention gets their reference from Indian media , so I need not say any more. As I have said Indian media is on a crusade against Bangladesh. You can probably find a million websites that says horrible things about Bangladesh. All someway or another supported by India. Strange but true !
I think I referred to you the site named answer.com - who said it's an Indian site? Let me reframe the question, what's the definition of an Indian site? And what will they gain if they malign Bangladesh image?
If answers.com is an Indian (or Indian-controlled) site, that will simply mean that it will show India as a great nation. But, that's not true at all. Those sites clearly discuss about Indian evil caste system/Indian failure to provide safety to minorities etc etc.
After all, why do you think that rest of the world is puppet to Indian vision of Bangladesh? There are many great newsmakers in US/Europe who has efficient database of events and news, at least they can work independent of what Indian news media thinks. Also, to them Bangladesh is a neutral country - they don't have special love/hatred for India/Bangladesh. I didn'r agree to you that Westerners are so fool.
"As I have said Indian media is on a crusade against Bangladesh." - This is true and reflects Indians are afraid of rise of fundamentalism in Bangladesh.
As I have said, it's a South Asian culture to blame everything on the neighbour. Now, Pakistan has been added to friend-list, so focus has diverted from there. Indian politicians put all blame to Bangladesh, and so does Bangladesh on India. The blame-game is never-ending. Bangladesh media/politicians also does similar things against India, but the reach is too small to hit India. The fact of being Anti-India itself has a seizable votebank in Bangladesh politicians take that path to supress their failures.
One good example of Anti-India politics is politics of Trade imbalance. The trade imbalance is with China/Thailand or even Pakistan is never highlighted, but that with India is a political issue.
In India there's a politics of terrorism. Whenever there's terrorist attack, Indian govt is very quick to point to external hands in it. Similarly, BDR chief also pointed out India as the creator of terrorism in Bangladesh. The point are same - own failures are diverted to others', politically.
hey buddy
do u know how to molest a fact?
there are bout thousands of people leaving and coming into Bangladesh.
Now if u wanna do something to get the spot light on u..u can hv that.
use some sensitive issues like minority cleansing (i hate the word minority), gender biases, terrorism (recent hot topic) and bla bla bla..
now if some people leave the country and if some part of them are hindus..wht is the big problem to cry about??
do we need to see it with a biased eye??
yea. we need to see it in that angle if we hv other than regular intentions.
i hv no proper words to condemn such personnels who try constantly to paint Bangladesh in a murky color.
I love my motherland..i love my Bangladesh..and i hate those ppl who always look at our negative sides with a magnifying glass and never look at our success.
god hlp them!
I have never said that people will have any problem if some people leaves Bangladesh, even Muslims also leave Bangladesh for better living ... the fact with which I was debating is that Bangladesh has some riots in the past which hastened the process.
definitly there ud be riots in this world of chaos of different ethnicities..and if u see with a clear ideology u can find its reason n consequences. no riot can be stopped with the blame games.
yeap we had riots in bangladesh..but what else u expect?? if u destroy a famous mosque in a country by using the extreme religious brutality..definitly there ud be reaction-anger and which can definitly trigger hatred.
But basically, Bangladeshis are very pace loving people. There, u can find numerous examples of religious soliderity.
But the sad most part is, some people always try to focus on the minor negative issues in our country for their personal gains..and ill luck ud hv it for us, such evil creatures always succeed on their motives..and they gain what they want..the spot lights of media world..and all these accumulate to the dirty propagandas, vastly practiced by some selfish, narrow mind, corrupted, rubber bone people.
It shouldnt be continued.
"if u destroy a famous mosque in a country by using the extreme religious brutality..definitly there ud be reaction-anger and which can definitly trigger hatred." - No, it happened in India, the riots should have been concentrated in India.
"No, it happened in India, the riots should have been concentrated in India."
Muslims live all over the world in billions and if something hurts their religious feelings they do react. It's rather silly to say that Muslims in other parts of the world won't react. This can be applied to every religion and every race. I guess, from my experience, it is diificult for a Hindu person to understand how it feels like to be a part of a global Islmaic community. That's why they never quite understand why a distant Palectine or Iraq means so much to a Muslim person living far away. India remains, till today, a key ally to Israel and that shows how much they 'respect' Muslims living at home and nearby countries.
If Talibans break Buddha statues, China should riot and kill their Muslims? USA/UK killed US/UK Muslims after 9/11 or 7/7? Indians killed Muslims in retaliation of militants killed in Kashmir? Retaliation is not the way to prosper.
One great example of Islamic brotherhood is Pakistani soldiers killing Bangladeshis in 1971 - where was the brotherhood then?
I think killing/torturing innocents is strongly discouraged in Islam. Why can't you practise that? Do you think Hindus in Bangladesh are responsible for Babri Masjid demolition? To show off the brotherhood do you need to kill your fellow Hindus?
Please stop justification for killing. BTW, we are not discussing Israel-India relationship here.
I just saw the arguements & counter arguements. I think Taslima is a talented writer. Just because you do not like her views, you cannot brand her insignificant and non-entity. The report of RAW supporting Taslima is a greatest joke of my life. India is the real secular country. Do you know that the percentage of Muslims in India is progressively rising in India? what is the statistics for the Hindus in Bangladesh?
If you do not like some fact, it doesn't become untrue. I have many Bangladeshi friends who themselves told me what kind of atrocities were inflicted on the Hindus after the Babri demolition.
close your eyes will not change the facts as they are...
Look who's twisting subject - I thought we were discussing Hindus in Bangladesh and never the global terrorism. And India-Israel pact should not disturb lives in Bangladeshi Hindus. Gujarat riots was one of the worst incidents in Indian history, I never claimed India is very generous to Muslims in general, apart from Indian Constitution. But why that should come into question while dealing Bangladesh Hindus?
The misconception you share with your fellow countrymen, is that you think Bangladeshi Hindus are 'proxy' Indians ... your arguments show that. So, now you can easily understand, why they leave Bangladesh. This was called "Two Nation Theory" in Indian history. It's sad to see the pieces of TNT is still around us. A few days back I saw murder in Kashmir, then selective destruction in Vadodara by Gujarata govt - all are brutal expression of the same theory.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
To firespark
Thanks for your comment. Yes, I would still say "Most" Hindus do leave the country willingly.
Now let me draw you an analogy here. This might help you. Think of a British Asian who lives and earns his daily bread in Britain. The British society as a whole give him almost all the civil liberties he want. But when it comes to supporting a specific country this person chooses his origin country. For example, whenever there is a game between England and India/Pakistan/BD, you would surely be expecting British Asians waving the Ind/Pak/BD flags. This might not be a serious issue but things like these do disappoint the British Government and the people here in general. Many Asians never accept Britain as their own country, rather they do dream of their motherland day and night. Well, they might say many of them have been subjected to racism but that can hardly be an excuse for their overall behaviour. As the "white" people have the responsibility to make the immigrants feel at home, the same way the immigrants should be responsible enough to adopt and love the new country so that a culture of mutual-understanding can be created. The same applies to all the countries where different cultures and religions reside side by side. It's not just a one sided responsibility, the other party needs to show that they do care as well. Unfortunately, I don't see that. The Hindus that I have seen leaving the country for India were not subjected to any torture or discrimination. They just wanted to as I left my country WILLINGLY. Most probably the Hindu people feel comfortable in a Hindu majority land and that's perfectly acceptable and logical. But leaving willingly and then blaming the other country is NO WAY ACCEPTABLE. Trust me, this attitude doesn't help.
but i never found a single Hindu supporting Pakistan as an ASIAN team for their game even against Australia - firespeak, I myself supported Pakistan in 1992 world cup final. And, you should know that issue with Pakistan is not limited to religion, India and Pakistan has long standing rivalry. Supporting other Muslim states like Iran, Turkey, Tunisia (world cup footbal) does not get biased by religion at all.
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