Why am I excited to share this?

In a world which has been filled with cynicism and grim, dark news…of violence, genocide, threats of nuclear annihilation, and the calamities wrought by an increasingly angered mother nature, these videos are like a breath of fresh air and glimpses of that other world that young people are promising to create…….

We need to hear these voices of hope, idealism and confident calls from a new generation, for a South Asia where Peace, Harmony and soft borders would prevail.

Please watch, listen, read, share, and create millions of concentric circles of such dreamers and dreams…

Don’t dismiss these as ‘castles in the air,’ these are earnest pledges outlining incredibly practical steps for change…

And we need to seriously find ways to ensure that these young people are taken seriously, some of their ideas followed up, and as the say repeatedly, the power of youth in the region be allowed creative and constructive expression and opportunity.

My Vision for South Asia if I am the President / Prime Minister of my Country! 

This was the Theme for Youth for the 1st South Asian Commemoration of The Doyens of Peace organised on August 12, 2025 online with participation from 8 countries of South Asia

As many as 198 youth between 15 and 25 created two to five minute videos of innovative and fascinating blue prints that can measure up to every South Asian Aspirations!!

Sixteen Videos:  Top two from the 8 countries – were live cast followed by a Panel Discussion with eight Youth below 30 years of age on the subject “Visions in the Videos for South Asia and The Way Forward!!”

Collectively, through their videos from across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, young people have demonstrated their clear understanding of the major issues and have come up with creative solutions, demonstrating a commitment to non -violent approaches.

The common threads in creating inspiring Vision for South Asia were:

• Revive, Revitalise and Energise SAARC
• No to War and Hate;
• Yes to Peace and Love;
• Progress with Sustainability and Dignity for all;
• Climate Change – an urgent challenge across all boundaries;
• Act now on Gender Justice, Economic partnerships, Religious tolerance and fraternity;
• Prioritise collaboration on Education and Health.
• We demand Soft borders – freedom of travel and exchanges.
• We will work to end terrorism and create a nonviolent South Asia

The list is breath-taking and comprehensive, reflecting a maturity beyond their years

A Document Titled Vision of Youth for South Asia compiled and released on the occasion states:

“South Asia is naturally without borders. Therefore, instead of enforcing boundaries we ought to indulge in a coexistence which is strung along economic, political, social, and cultural lines. We must build strong foundations for such a future for which internal development and universal education are essential.

 To that end we must focus on raising national employment, creating native institutions of learning and investing in regional student-exchange programs and digital school networks.

*We acknowledge the truism that peace requires dialogue and freedom and the need for cross-border mobility and people-to-people diplomacy. This would become the soil to nurture peaceful resolutions to existing conflicts between countries.

We have to become very serious about joint river programs, regional emission reduction projects, and diversifying energy sources.

There is a need for a common vision of economic integration, sometimes through a South Asian economic bloc.

 This would follow and inform ecologically sensitive models of economic development on the national level, spearheaded by a young generation of educated, connected, and innovative people.

Soft-borders and linkages by sea would promote free trade, based on equality and shared concerns rather than domination.

The reinvigoration of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) is an embodiment of these visions.

Finally, the assumption of a leader’s responsibility brings seemingly distant issues to the fore and closer to our homes. 

This provides us with the impetus to apprehend a larger and more intimate reality such that we may identify erosions at its structure and tirelessly work together to sustain, improve, and change our world.

For all details please visit: (www.peacedoyens.org, Email: peacedoyepnssouthasia@gmail.com)

Related:

Moving beyond nationalism: a new vision for peace in South Asia

#SayNoToWar in South Asia, take part in the Global StandOut for peace

Tapan K Bose: A life devoted to human rights, peace, and resistance

The post From an octagenarian…still young at heart appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau

URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/taliban-tried-employing-afghan-women/d/135873

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The Taliban Tried To Stop Lida Mangal From Employing Afghan Women

By Isabella Ross

15-06-2025

Lida Mangal says her Afghan garment business in Western Sydney is a form of “resistance and representation”. (ABC News: Jack Ailwood)

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LidaMangal vividly remembers the “golden years” of her childhood in Afghanistan.

Decades on, Ms Mangal has found freedom in Australia — though her country of origin and the “very strong” women who remain there never leave her thoughts.

“I thought how could I provide a means of income to these women? They had experience in tailoring and textiles. Some were widowed or without a male companion … Afghan women deserve freedom.”

Photo shows A woman wearing a blue burqa covering shields her eyes from the sun and camera while she walks in the streetA woman wearing a blue burqa covering shields her eyes from the sun and camera while she walks in the street

Virtue laws introduced by the Taliban ban women from speaking or showing their faces in public as a senior UN official called it an extension of the “already intolerable restrictions” on Afghan women.

That same year, Ms Mangal founded her business, Ghan Fashion, where she brings traditionally designed dresses from Afghanistan to Australia.

Initially, she was able to openly hire women who were still working in Afghan textile factories, but in recent years, the “barbaric regime’s agenda” has made that effort extra difficult.

“I’ve got 20 women who are working now from home, because of the restrictions of the current regime. They have their own materials and equipment they use. I explain my designs … and they prepare and make it,” she said.

A former refugee and now Australian citizen, Ms Mangal works full-time in a separate occupation, as well as running her fashion business from her Western Sydney home.

The garment transportation process is a challenge — the Taliban use sharp tools to check packages for anything being smuggled out of Afghanistan, meaning some of Ms Mangal’s dresses arrive ripped and damaged.

“This new chapter has allowed me to reclaim my voice and write a story that I choose — one filled with hope, ambition and determination.”

Kabul Social is run predominantly by female refugees from Afghanistan, notes Shaun David-Christie (far right). (Supplied: Kabul Social/Kitti Gould)

Kabul Social, founded by Plate It Forward director Shaun Christie-David, is run by a team of predominantly female refugees from Afghanistan, bringing their country’s flavours to Sydney’s CBD.

It was predated by Colombo Social, which has the same intention of celebrating culture and cuisine while employing migrants and refugees.

“What truly humbles me is seeing our refugee workforce and their families thrive, building a legacy of generational change,”  Mr Christie-David said.

Mr Christie-David said his aim was to “give people a chance that wouldn’t get one otherwise”, given the challenges of having international qualifications recognised in Australia.

Marjorie Tenchavez is the founder and director of Welcome Merchant, a social enterprise that elevates refugee and people seeking asylum entrepreneurs.

“Often they [refugees] have family members relying on them in their home countries as well. Refugee merchants also don’t have mainstream access to much support, such as borrowing from the banks, given many are on bridging visas.”

“It’s now more important than ever to give them a platform because there has definitely been a waning interest in the refugee space.”

Adama Kamara, deputy chief executive officer of Refugee Council of Australia, said the event was a way to champion the resilient nature of many refugees.

“Refugees are among Australia’s most entrepreneurial newcomers … this incredible drive, often born out of necessity and a desire to contribute, adds significant economic and social value,” she said.

Later this year, the 1 millionth permanent refugee visa will be issued since Australia’s post-war resettlement program began in 1947, according to the Refugee Council.

Source: www.abc.net.au

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-15/former-refugee-helps-women-in-afghanistan-via-sydney-business/105365380

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‘I Wish I Weren’t A Girl’: 700,000 Women Struggle For Menstrual Hygiene In War-Torn Gaza

By Supratik Das

15 Jun 2025

Representational Image | Credit: Reuters

———–

At the centre of an relentless humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, an often overlooked crisis is unfolding with quiet urgency, that is women’s and girls’ menstrual well-being. During Israel’s months-long siege and heavy shelling, close to 700,000 menstruating women and girls are finding it difficult to cope with their periods with dignity and safety. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has cautioned that lack of access to essential hygiene products, clean water, and safe facilities has converted a normal biological process into a deep humanitarian and public health emergency.

According to UN global data, 1.8 billion people menstruate worldwide, but in conflict areas like Gaza, menstruation becomes far more than a monthly inconvenience, it becomes a human rights concern. In overcrowded displacement shelters and temporary tent camps, girls getting their first period are doing so in unimaginable conditions. They have no sanitary pads, no soap, and no private toilets. “I only had one pad, so I wrapped it in toilet paper to make it last. I couldn’t wash, and the pain was horrible. I sat in silence crying until the end of the day,” a displaced teenage girl told UNFPA. These stories are no longer isolated. Since March, the blockade of humanitarian relief has severely limited the introduction of hygiene material. While a partial suspension of the ban allowed for some relief, distribution of aid which is now organised by channels outside the UN system is still woefully insufficient. Current levels of delivery are far below the colossal demand, with only a small portion of more than 10 million sanitary pads needed monthly reaching Gaza’s displaced persons. “This crisis is not just about hygiene; it is about dignity, health, and the protection of basic human rights. “Food keeps us alive, but pads, soap, and privacy let us live with dignity,” a displaced woman from Khan Younis, said in a UNFPA statement.

With over 90 per cent of the region’s water and sanitation infrastructure destroyed and water pumping fuel out of reach, the hygiene crisis is assuming a deadly dimension. Women are resorting to makeshift substitutes such as worn-out clothing, used cloths, or sponges which are often unclean and unsuitable for prolonged use heightening the threat of urinary tract infections, reproductive disorders, and long-term health impairment. A father of four girl child from Jabalia recounted his sorrow, “I ripped my single shirt apart so my daughters could wear it as an alternative to pads,” he explained to UNFPA. Another girl admitted, “Every time my period comes, I wish I weren’t a girl,” she said to the UN agency. A local physician recounted how normal phenomena like menstruation, pregnancy, and giving birth are becoming traumatic because of the absence of essential materials. “These should be routine experiences. But now, I witness pain, humiliation, and desperation in women’s eyes on a daily basis,” she said to UNFP

While the health of menstruation has gone disastrous, the overall situation for women in Gaza is equally bleak. As per UNFPA, food insecurity is catastrophic, with one person out of every five starved. For approximately 55,000 pregnant women, every skipped meal increases the likelihood of miscarriage, stillbirth, and giving birth to underweight infants.

According to UN nearly 17,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are projected to require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition in the coming months. Gaza’s already fragile health infrastructure is on the brink of collapse after prolonged bombardment of hospitals and healthcare facilities. Healthcare workers do not have the medicines and equipment they need.

Source: www.Thedailyjagran.Com

https://www.thedailyjagran.com/world/i-wish-i-was-not-a-girl-women-struggle-for-menstrual-hygiene-in-war-torn-gaza-heres-what-report-says-10245149

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TikTok Murder Sends Chill Through Pakistani Influencers: ‘Every Woman Knows This Fear’

15 Jun 2025

Since seeing thousands of comments justifying the recent murder of a teenage TikTok star in Pakistan, Sunaina Bukhari is considering abandoning her 88,000 followers.

“In my family, it wasn’t an accepted profession at all, but I’d managed to convince them, and even ended up setting up my own business,” she said.

Then last week, Sana Yousaf was shot dead outside her house in the capital Islamabad by a man whose advances she had repeatedly rejected, police said.

News of the murder led to an outpouring of comments under her final post – her 17th birthday celebration where she blew out the candles on a cake.

In between condolence messages, some blamed her for her own death: “You reap what you sow” or “it’s deserved, she was tarnishing Islam”.

Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media, where she shared her favourite cafes, skincare products and traditional shalwarkameez outfits.

Source: Www.Scmp.com

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3314505/tiktok-murder-sends-chill-through-pakistani-influencers-every-woman-knows-fear

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UN Human Rights Council to spotlight rights of Afghan women at 59th Session

by Milad Sayar

June 15, 2025

The United Nations Human Rights Council is set to open its 59th session on Monday, June 16, in Geneva, where delegates will consider an agenda that includes the worsening rights crisis in Afghanistan, particularly the treatment of women and girls under Taliban rule.

According to the Council’s official schedule, the session will run through July 9 and will feature reports and interactive dialogues addressing human rights violations in more than a dozen countries, including Sudan, Myanmar, Iran and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Among the most closely watched items will be a presentation by Richard Bennett, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan.

Bennett’s report, titled “Access to Justice and Support for Women and Girls and the Impact of Multiple and Intersecting Forms of Discrimination,” concludes that the restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls amount to a system of gender apartheid. It calls on the international community to recognize such policies as crimes under international law.

“The Council must take urgent and decisive action,” said Sima Nouri, a human rights activist who is among those calling for an independent fact-finding mission. “We need a mechanism to document the full scope of Taliban abuses — from gender-based discrimination and ethnic killings to the violent suppression of peaceful protests. Afghanistan’s case should be referred to the International Criminal Court.”

Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have barred most Afghan women and girls from work, education, and even freedom of movement without a male escort. MasoudaKohistani, another rights advocate, called the situation “a human rights emergency that demands global attention.”

Though Afghanistan will be discussed on the opening day, it is one part of a broader session that includes topics ranging from the human rights impacts of climate change to racial discrimination, digital rights, and the situations in Palestine, Venezuela and Belarus. No general debates are scheduled this session, but several high-level interactive dialogues will take place throughout the four weeks.

The Human Rights Council, which meets three times a year, is the UN’s primary intergovernmental body dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Its 59th session will include reports from special rapporteurs, commissions of inquiry and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Rights advocates say they hope the international community will not lose focus on Afghanistan amid competing global crises. “This is a pivotal moment,” Nouri said. “The world must not abandon Afghan women.”

Source: amu.tv

https://amu.tv/180591/

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Pakistan names women’s squad for AFC qualifiers amid bid to elevate football’s profile

Arab News Pakistan

June 15, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Saturday unveiled its squad for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, as the country seeks to uplift its women’s football program and strengthen its profile in a sport where its men’s team has also struggled to gain traction.

Pakistan’s men’s national team, briefly competitive in regional tournaments in the decades following independence, has long languished near the bottom of Asian rankings amid administrative issues and lack of sustained investment.

In contrast, women’s football in Pakistan began to take shape in the early 2000s, with the formation of the country’s first women’s football clubs in 2002 and the launch of the National Women’s Football Championship in 2005.

“The Pakistan Football Federation has named a squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, set to take place in Jakarta, Indonesia from June 29 to July 5,” said the PFF in a statement.

Placed in Group E, the team will open its campaign on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, confront host Indonesia on July 2 and conclude the group stage against Kyrgyzstan on July 5.

Athletes have recently expanded into Olympic swimming and achieved international success in javelin, demonstrating a broader ambition to elevate sports beyond one stronghold.

Pakistan will be seeking its first-ever Women’s Asian Cup appearance, while the men’s side continues to fight for relevance amid FIFA rankings that reached a historic low before recent suspensions were lifted.

Pakistan’s national women’s football team was officially formed in 2010 and has yet to qualify for a Women’s Asian Cup or World Cup, but played in multiple SAFF Championships and remained a bright spot in domestic football.

Source: Www.Arabnews.com

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2604523/pakistan

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‘Pakistan-born’ woman booked in UP’s Bareilly for procuring fake Aadhaar, ration card

by Manish Sahu

June 15, 2025

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday booked a 68-year-old woman of Pakistani origin in Bareilly for allegedly obtaining an Aadhaar card and ration card through fraudulent means. The woman has been residing in India for nearly six decades on a long-term visa.

The police said that during a campaign to spot Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals staying illegally in the district, they received a tip-off about a Pakistan-born woman allegedly availing of benefits of government schemes using forged documents.

The case has been filed against the woman, identified as Farhad Sultana, under relevant sections of the Citizenship Act and for cheating at the Baradari police station, said a police officer.

The police learned that Sultana, born in Karachi, arrived in India in 1965 at the age of eight with her mother and sister, on a long-term visa.

Source: Indianexpress.Com

https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/lucknow/pakistan-born-woman-booked-in-ups-bareilly-for-procuring-fake-aadhaar-ration-card-10067350/

Courtesy: New Age Islam

The post The Taliban Tried To Stop Lida Mangal From Employing Afghan Women appeared first on SabrangIndia.

This means that South Asia has one of the highest population densities in the world, estimated as the number of people living in one square km.

While the entire world has a population density of about 60, South Asia has a population density of 303, over five times the world average.

In several cities of South Asia the population density can be many times more. In the most densely populated district of Karachi Central, the population density is 55,396. In Kolkata this is 24,252.

One of the implications of very high population density is that in any modern-day war which uses very destructive weapons, loss of life can potentially be much higher compared to most other countries. To mention two war and civil war-ravaged countries which have suffered high war-related mortality in recent times, Ukraine has population density of 67 while Sudan has population density of 29. This gives an indication of potentially how high war mortality can be in conditions of very high population density that prevail in South Asia.

These and several other facts regarding very high risks must be kept in consideration at a time when a lot of concern is being expressed regarding the increasing possibilities of escalation of war-risks involving India and Pakistan.

However the single most important factor is not regarding the risk escalation of recent days. The most important fact is that India and Pakistan have stepped back from such high risk situations in the past to avoid war. If they could do so in the past, they should be able to do so now too, thereby saving South Asia from massive distress and disaster.

Both sides are heavily armed and are in a position to procure more weapons from bigger powers. Both sides are nuclear weapon powers and there are estimates of the two countries having a total of about 340 nuclear weapons, more or less in equal numbers.

War involving any such two countries A and B may take this path—in the first few days there is high loss of life from conventional weapons on both sides but with the passage of time the bigger conventional power A gains a clear edge, and then faced with a serious crisis, the weaker power B resorts to using nuclear weapons and in reply immediately the stronger power A also uses nuclear weapons.

Of course this is not a very likely path as leaders of both countries being well aware of the unacceptably high dangers of nuclear weapons are likely to stop short of using these but at the same time the possibility of use of nuclear weapons cannot be ruled out entirely, and this is a very big risk indeed, an unacceptably high risk.

The risks have also increased at present because of other big wars occupying the attention of great powers. However even otherwise the will-power for playing non-partisan mediator role has reduced and instead there is much more arbitrariness in evidence at the international level. The role of the United Nations has been steadily becoming less significant.

At the same time the existence of bilateral security arrangements or risk-minimizing arrangements between India and Pakistan are extremely weak and inadequate just now.

Hence the best policy for both countries is to quickly move back from any risks of war. Leaders of both countries simply have to display greater maturity and commitment to peace and if they do so, history will still remember them for saving South Asia from disaster.

People of both countries have deep respect for several sacred sites and places of great cultural heritage located in the other country. People of both countries have much to benefit from having better relations with each other. Let us not forget all this in the heat of the present day intense hostilities. If good sense of quickly stopping further escalation prevails today, in the coming years this wisdom and good sense will be greatly appreciated by the people as well as the upcoming generation.

The world is already deeply troubled by war and conflict. Let us not add to this by igniting a new one between two nuclear weapon countries. No other kind of war can be more risky than a war between two nuclear weapon countries.

Both countries have important development challenges ahead of them. The path of development and meeting the needs and aspirations of all people will be seriously harmed if war breaks out.

If this war breaks out then everyone involved will suffer to some extent and in some way or the other, and in the worst case scenario there will be the kind of massive destruction that only nuclear weapons can cause. Neighbouring countries not involved in the war will also be very adversely affected.

So the leaders of both the countries should do their best to avoid the possibility of such a war.

(The author is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine—A Path to Peace)           

The post South Asia must stay away from war: High risks and costs for all appeared first on SabrangIndia.

It is imperative that what has happened should not be exaggerated, and the tendency of certain sections to exaggerate and hence further provoke conflict between two neighbouring countries of the global south should be checked.

In fact it is important to emphasise that this is a time for de-escalation, restraint and diplomacy to ensure that any further escalation can be avoided. It is important to emphasise that the two countries are not at war with each other, and it is certainly possible to avoid a war at this stage. Such situations have arisen in the past, even during the last decade, and therefore even now, things could be scaled back without causing a war. The situation at present is no worse than it was at that time. If good sense prevails, then two neighbours could gradually revert back towards more or less normal times. There is no reason why this cannot happen again. Exaggerated accounts will only worsen the prospects for peace.

India’s stand on the attack in the form of Operation Sindoor in the early hours of May 7 has been conveyed in these words, “Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution.”

This is very far from being war-talk. From this point if de-escalation and restraint are exercised, as emphasised by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres earlier on May 5, it is certainly possible to avoid war. The UN Chief had stated on May 5 that it is very important to avoid a military confrontation that could spin out of control. He also stated that the UN stands ready to support any initiative of de-escalation, diplomacy and a renewed commitment to peace. Now again on May 7 soon after the attack the UN Chief has again called for ‘maximum military restraint” adding that the world cannot afford a war between the two countries.

Exchange of fire has been reported since the Pahalgam attack from some border areas, and various kinds of hostile measures have been announced by both sides, including those relating to trade, economic ties, travel and water-sharing. One hopes that following de-escalation several of these decisions can be reconsidered by both sides. However the biggest urgency just now is to avoid the possibility of further escalation which, as the UN chief has warned, has the danger of spinning out of control. Such a high risk should be avoided in all circumstances as both sides are nuclear weapon countries and it is widely recognized that any war between such countries should always be avoided. There may be very low likelihood of actual use of nuclear weapons as leaders of both countries are after all well aware of the possibility that the nearly 340 nuclear weapons the two countries are estimated to possess can destroy the entire region and in fact a much wider area. Nevertheless even with the low likelihood of actual use, the well-established understanding and wisdom is that the potential of destruction being so high, two nuclear weapon countries should not come even close to the possibility of war.   An already deeply troubled world simply cannot afford such high risks and all arguments are strongly in favour of de-escalation and return to near normalcy in the relationship between India and Pakistan as early as possible.

(The author is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Saving Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, A Day in 2071 and Man over Machine—A Path to Peace)        

Related:

Pahalgam: Voices of peace and reason in times of war

Poonch Victims: Civilians as targets of shelling

The post After India’s ‘limited strikes’ on Pakistan, de-escalation, restraint, diplomacy needed to avoid war appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Even though some persons may be committed to peace in normal times, when they suffer a big person tragedy in the form of violence against a family member they can at least temporarily start speaking more in terms of anger and revenge. This is why it is important why we all have to learn so much from the family of naval officer Lt Narwal who was among those who died in the terror attack of Pahalgam. Soon after the tragedy his family somehow found the strength to organize a blood donation camp on the birthday of Lt Narwal on May 1.

No one could possibly have suffered greater distress and shock than his newly married wife Himanshi (the couple were married just a week back and were on a honeymoon trip to Jammu and Kashmir when the terrorists struck). Yet she has been speaking only in terms of peace. Speaking at the blood donation camp she appealed to people not to spread hatred against anyone. She urged the people not to go against Muslims and Kashmiris. She said, “We just want peace. No doubt we desire justice, the government must take steps against specifically those who did us wrong.” (See report in The Times of India, May 2 by Bhavya Narang titled ‘Eschew hate, pray for Lt Narwal, says his wife’).

People from all over the country who had gathered at this camp organised in Karnal to donate their blood to save human lives, were moved to tears by the words and gestures of various family members of Lt Narwal, their grace and dignity, their deep concern for peace and harmony even in the middle of great personal loss. All people committed to peace salute them and feel inspired by them. Humanity will win despite all obstacles if there are more people like them. They provide a highly inspiring example of true commitment to real patriotism and national unity.

Another report in the same issue of The Times of India also deserves our attention. This report titled ‘Despite war clouds, life remains calm in Punjab border villages’ has been filed by Yudhvir Rana from some border villages located on the India side of the border of India and Pakistan in Tarn Taran area. This report tells us about farmers and villagers going about their daily chores in relatively tension-free conditions.

To quote from this report, “The villagers expressed frustration at the portrayal of their region as a powder keg. ‘We only hear about this so-called ‘tension’ from our relatives who call us after watching the news, said Manjinder Singh, a farmer from Naushera Dhalla. “They think war is about to break out, but here we are, going about our daily chores.” In this village, where a gurudwara and temple co-exist in a single complex, people say that the only extra instruction they have received is to ensure timely harvesting of wheat in some fields, probably to maintain clearer visibility.

This provides a fine example of the ability of common people to maintain calm and avoid unnecessary panic, a tendency that can be contrasted by the efforts of some other kinds of persons to deliberately inflate tensions.

Here attention may be drawn also to an article written by Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd) published in The Tribune, May 2 titled ‘Avoid strike against Pakistan, It could escalate into war.” While condemning Pakistan’s numerous attempts to inflict ‘a thousand cuts’ on India using terror attacks, the learned writer has cautioned, “ Any enhanced action by India across the border has its own implications, with the possibility of an escalation of the conflict into a war-like situation or, may be, war itself. Given the situation, India’s better option is to further secure its borders with Pakistan and be prepared to effectively deal with any mischief by Pakistan across the IB or the LOC.”

Another voice that needs to be heard more widely is that of Julio Ribeiro, the former police chief who played a very important role in defeating terrorist violence in Punjab in the past. In an article titled ‘Win over locals to combat terror’, published in The Tribune dated May 2, he has written, “Local residents are central and crucial to policing even in normal times. In terrorism-affected states, they spell the difference between life and death…The importance of treating locals with the respect and dignity which every human being expects and entitled to is highlighted during times of terror activities. When they feel that they are part and parcel of the government’s fight against terrorism, they will part with the crucial information needed to plan defensive measures.”

Julio Ribeiro has advised the government strongly against steps like demolishing the houses of suspected terrorists. Instead he has stated, “What it urgently needs is to replace the muscular philosophy of policing with the age-old conclusion of experts that the only way to end terrorism is to win the hearts and minds of the community to which the terrorists belong.”

(The author is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Man over Machine, A Day in 2071 and When the Two Streams Met)

Related:

Terrorism’s Shadow: Rising hatred against Indian Muslims after Pahalgam terror attack

Homes Destroyed, Mass Detentions Following Pahalgam Attack

The post Pahalgam: Voices of peace and reason in times of war appeared first on SabrangIndia.

While Poonch is reportedly the worst hit, several sectors in Kashmir Valley were also reportedly rocked by shelling. The Indian Army confirmed that a soldier had died on Wednesday. “GOC and all ranks of White Knight Corps salute the supreme sacrifice of L/Nk Dinesh Kumar of 5 Fd Regt, who laid down his life on May 7 during Pakistan Army shelling. We also stand in solidarity with all victims of the targeted attacks on innocent civilians in Poonch sector,” the 16 Corps, Indian Army, posted on X.An unconfirmed list of other civilians killed by Pakistani shelling (totalling 15) – published by Maktoob Media includes: Balvinder Kaur alias Ruby (aged 33), Mohd Zain Khan (aged 10 years), Zoya Khan (12), Mohd Akram (40), Amrik Singh (55), Mohd Iqbal (45), Ranjeet Singh (48), Shakeela Bi (40), Amarjeet Singh (47), Maryam Khatoun (7), Vihaan Bhargav (13), Mohd Rafi (40) and three identified.

#OperationSindoor | Pak Army Shelling Kills Civilians In Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch, Tangdhar

NDTV’s @ghazalimohammad joins @maryashakil with a ground report from Rajouri pic.twitter.com/9GJgzqA8yF

— NDTV (@ndtv) May 8, 2025

The local Sikh community suffered a heavy loss as at least four of its members were killed and the wall of a gurdwara was damaged when Pakistan reportedly launched heavy shelling early Wednesday in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Eyewitnesses described the intensity of the bombardment as worse than during the 1999 Kargil War. Social media first reported that according to officials, Amreek Singh and Ranjit Singh—local shopkeepers—ex-army official Amarjeet Singh, and homemaker Ruby Kaur were killed instantly when a shell exploded near them, sending shockwaves through the community.

Meanwhile, the family of Mohammad Iqbal, who was killed in the shelling at Poonch, and who worked as a teacher at the Jamia Zia Ul Uloom has taken strong objection at news channels ABP News, Zee News and TV 18 for dubbing the slain victim as a ‘terrorist.’ They have urged the Poonch District Collector and the Poonch police to also initiate action, and have now been reported to have decided to initiate legal action against the errant channels themselves.

This is shameful by Indian News Channels. Qari Mohammad Iqbal from poonch, India was killed yesterday in shelling from Pakistan is being portrayed as a ‘terrorist’ in multiple national Indian news channels. pic.twitter.com/8yXkUaJswd

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 8, 2025

Qari Mohammad Iqbal was killed in Pakistani shelling in Poonch. He was a civilian. He worked as a teacher at Jamia Zia ul uloom, Poonch.

ABP news falsely reported that he was a terrorist killed by Indian airstrikes in POK.https://t.co/lPfnPDv53e pic.twitter.com/eJ7C20XguJ

— Alishan Jafri (@alishan_jafri) May 8, 2025

On May 7, the shelling took the roofs of Amreek Singh’s shop reducing it to rubble while the nearby gurudwara, Nangali Sahib was also struck during the shelling. Situated in the lap of a picturesque hill on the banks of the Drungali Nallah, it is situated about four kilometres from Poonch town and in Poonch distrct in the Jammu region. It is also recognised as one of the oldest shrines for the Sikhs in northern India.

Cowardly act by #Pakistanarmy !

Pakistan has targeted a Gurudwara sahib located in Poonch Kashmir.

Heartfelt condolences to the families of Bhai Amrik Singh Ragi, Amarjeet Singh (ex-Army personnel) & Ranjit Singh, a shopkeeper from #Poonch town, who were martyred in attack. pic.twitter.com/cxl4VvW9HN

— Jaspreet Kaur (@jaspreetsays) May 7, 2025

Amarjeet Singh (50), a devout Granthi who regularly performed Paath at the gurdwara is a former army person who, died in the shelling. He is survived by his wife, a son in Class 6, and a daughter. Amarjeet Singh also played the tabla at the gurdwara, while another victim, Amreek Singh, was a raagi who sang hymns from the Guru Granth Sahib at another gurdwara in Poonch. Both were killed at different locations.

Amreek Singh (39) also ran a small grocery shop below his house. He was the sole breadwinner of his family and is survived by two daughters and a son. He was with Ranjit Singh at Syndicate Chowk when a shell exploded in front of them, reported Indian Express. Both died on the spot. Amreek Singh had gone to open his shop. Meawnhile, Ruby Kaur (32), a homemaker, was killed in Mankote. She had three children, the youngest just a year and a half old.

The local Sikh population in Poonch, is estimated between 25,000 and 30,000, has been left shaken. “We have never witnessed such heavy shelling in Poonch before. We saw the Kargil war, but civilian establishments largely remained untouched. We thought we had learned to live under shelling. Today, that illusion was broken,” said Narinder Singh.

Following the incident, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, condemned the shelling. “The attack on Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha and the loss of Sikh lives is not just an event—it is a blow to humanity,” he said. He has also called for diplomacy, Jathedar Gargaj urged both India and Pakistan to reduce tensions. “Both governments must act with wisdom, not weapons,” he said. “Since 1947, this conflict has caused suffering, including to Hindus and Sikhs near the border. How many more must pay for a conflict they did not create?” asked Gargaj. “War always devours the innocent. Peace is not weakness—it is the strength we must summon.”

Related:

Homes Destroyed, Mass Detentions Following Pahalgam Attack

A Tranquil Paradise Shattered: The Pahalgam terror attack

The post Poonch Victims: Civilians as targets of shelling appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The post From Trenches to Trust: Reimagining South Asia’s Dividends of Peace appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In 2013, the government of Bangladesh introduced a policy for the socially and economically disadvantaged communities and categorised them into three types- Dalit, Harijan, and Bede. The policy defines ‘Harijan’ as “people who are known as ‘harijan’ in the society and do not hesitate to introduce themselves as ‘harijan’” (Department of Social Service, 2013)[i]. It is tragic that most of these communities still remain at the margins and government and activists still bear the name which has been widely rejected by the same communities in India.

Immigrants without any identity

The Dalit question in Bangladesh has remained highly unaddressed, just like in Pakistan where the entire issue is considered one related to ‘Hindus’ alone without fair representation in any field except in ‘sanitation work’. Though there is no official data about the exact numbers of Dalits in Bangladesh yet roughly it is estimated to be between 5.5 million to 6.5 million. The Bangladesh Dalit narrative now excludes the native Bangla speaking communities like Namashudras who have been better represented and ‘well off’ relatively to the immigrant Dalits though it is also a fact that Bangladesh too does not have any constitutional safe guard for Dalits on the question of representations in the government services and within politics.

The Dalit movement in Bangladesh is still at its nascent stage. The native Namshudras do not feel part of it. Many Bangladeshi Dalit leaders have accused members of the Namashudra community behaving like caste Hindus and practicing untouchability against them. So, the Dalit movement in this country has emerged out of the basic needs of the ‘migrant’ untouchable communities. It is important to understand that the ‘term’ migrant is being used for non-native Bengalis who were brought in to Bengal by the British in 1870.

The non-Bengali Dalit groups who generally speak in Hindi, Utkal, Deshwali and Telegu had migrated into or were brought in to East Bengal before 1947 from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Orissa, and Madras. They worked as cleaners, tea gardeners (1853-54), jungle cleaners, and other cleaning jobs in the middle part of British Rule (1838-1850).

To be frank, the British brought in these different groups particularly the Sweepers in to Bengal from not only Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Odisha but also from the southern states like Madras Presidency. Unbeknown to many, a number of people living in the slums of Dhaka are Telugu speaking who migrated from Andhra Pradesh, in past part of Madras Presidency. Most of the menial sanitation work was done by these communities hence they faced not only contempt but isolation due to nature of their ‘job’. Interestingly, the Dalit movement too is divided at multiple levels: not merely on the basis of native Dalits and Dalit immigrants but also among the immigrants themselves, wherein those engaged in sanitation work are also categorised as ‘Harijans’.

Sanitation workers or Safai Karmcharis include communities engaged in manual scavenging: Raut, Hela, Hari, Dome, Domar, Telegu, Lalbegi, Banshphor, Dusadh, Chhatraira, Balmiki, and others.

The other Dalit Communities in Bangladesh

Apart from the Sweepers, there are five other categories of Dalits in Bangladesh. They are following:

Tea Plantation Workers: Bangalee, Bauri, Robidas, Tanti, Khodal, Karmokar, Bhumij, Bihari, Nayak, Mridha, Bakti, Chasha, Ghatuar, Goala, Gour, Kumri, Mushohor, and others:

Leather Processing Workers Rabidas, Rishi and others

Pig Rearing Kaiputra or Kwara

Brick Kiln Workers: Kol, Rajbhar and others

It is not that the native Bangla people do not face discrimination but the differences seem to be growing. The Bangali Dalits are those who are native like Namashudras and others, still well represented in the services, jobs and educated in comparison to immigrant ones. Secondly, all of them are actually more organised on community lines and not as a ‘Dalit’ which actually is just a decade old phenomenon.

Non-Bengali Dalits

The non-Bengali Dalit groups who generally speak in Hindi, Utkal, Deshwali and Telegu migrated or brought in to East Bengal before 1947 from Uttar Pradesh (UP), Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar, Orissa, and Madras. They worked as cleaners, tea gardeners (1853-54), jungles cleaners, and other cleaning jobs in the middle of the British Rule (1838-1850).

Telugu’ came from predominantly from Madras Residency and most of them were Mala, Magida, Chakali etc and are known as Madrasi. Most of them live in the slums of Dhaka and tea gardens of Sylhet and other such areas. The number of Telugu speaking Dalits is not less than 40000 in Dhaka.

The other Dalits who migrated from United Province are known as Kanpuri as most of them hailed from Allahabad and Kanpur. Bihari’s are already known as Bihari, a term also used contemptuously: Bihari Muslims were also considered against the liberation movement.

A number of Native Dalits actually migrated after Jogendranath Mandal had openly supported the Muslim League call for a separate nation. In fact, places like Sylhet today are in Bangladesh because of massive campaign carried out by Mandal during the referendum. Interestingly, the Muslim majority areas like Karimganj actually voted for being part of India! In any case, the Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement says, Dalits in Bangladesh can be divided into two groups. A section of Dalits who were brought to the country during the British rule to work as cleaners and forest clearing and tea plantations. And, another section who have been children of this country for thousands of years but are considered as ‘low caste’ in the eyes of the so-called society based on birth and profession. These are the fishermen, barbers, washermen, blacksmiths, cobblers, Kalu, Majhi, Zola, butchers, hunters, gardeners, Bede, Dhuli etc. Dalits are considered upper caste in the mainstream society and untouchable by others. Despite their significant contribution to the country’s economy, environment, and social development, they are the most economically and socially deprived Dalit community.

Is the issue of caste discrimination an internal matter for Hinduism in Bangladesh?

The crisis of Dalits in an Islamic society or where the Muslims are a majority showcases a kind of betrayal of the entire ‘ideology’ of the Dalit-Muslim alliance which the Muslim League actually purported to profess during its Partition movement, to ensure that a preponderant region/areas from both Punjab and Bengal become part of Pakistan.

History thus teaches us this lesson: that Dalits and minorities whether it is Muslims or Hindus, are only safe under a secular constitution. Once the constitution becomes theocratic and appeases majoritarianism, there are scant chances of the minorities getting any success. Dalits in both Bangladesh and Pakistan actually faced a dual (double) victimhood. First, they were a minority and then they were also Dalits. It is not that the Muslims loved them and provided them respect. The sanitation work in Pakistan as well as Bangladesh is purely ‘reserved’ for the Harijan communities. There are pockets where untouchability does not exist while in a majority of the northern areas like Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Khulna etc., they do face untouchability. People from the Harijan community are not allowed to drink tea or eat at the hotels in many places, says 85 year-old, Manek Lal Dom, from Bhola. He adds that they don’t face discrimination of any kind within Bhola because a number of persons now working as sewage cleaners there hail from the Muslim community too.

The Bihari Dalits or Bhojpuri Dalits who migrated to undivided Bengal were actually invited or taken by the British as sweepers, cleaner, tea plantation workers, labour for picking up dead bodies and doing all kinds of menial work. They came here leaving all possessions. The only thing they had with them was their ‘faith’, they had otherwise nothing to own. Most of them came to Bangladesh in 1930s. Manek Lal Dom’s grandfather came here as a sweeper and he was born in Bhola. Now, Bhola is the largest island in Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal.

Unlike in India and to some extent in Nepal, the Dalit movement in Bangladesh has to function within the periphery of ‘majoritarian politics’.  In Pakistan, most of them are used to portray Hindus as the worst kind of racists as well as by confining injustices s those ‘inside’ Hinduism. Some Pakistani organisations even organize Ambedkar Jayanti events every year and invite Ambedkarites and other human rights scholars to speak. Interestingly, the entire event is not focused at helping the Dalits in Pakistan but becomes a tool of anti-India propaganda resulting in neglect of the local Dalit activists and leaders. In Bangladesh, the situation is slightly bit better as civil society mobilisation in Bangladesh has been far superior to Pakistan. However, the Dalit movement still does not have autonomy as it has in India especially because it lacks the strength to organise resources at their own. There are administrative issues too. The presence of Dalits particularly the Bhojpuri speaking immigrants, Harijans, Rabidasis, inside Bangladeshi Parliament or in various structures of state is almost nil.

Dalits not even a minority

Dalits are not even a minority in any true sense. Minorities have a right to own their language, establish their institutions, and press for an inclusive politics among others. The Bhojpuri minorities in Bangladesh do not even know their native language. The only thing they have is their ‘traditional’ festivals and family events. They speak in Bhojpuri and can sing Bhajans. They have their own temples in certain places and they worship but cannot either read or write Bhojpuri or Hindi. Bangladesh came into being for the language movement, yet it is ironic that it does not care to protect the languages of those who immigrated? Frankly, Dalits are not even considered equal citizens otherwise this question would have always raised that they must have their own language and schooling in their native language schools. A majority of them are thoroughly landless.

Manek Lal Dom’s grandfather migrated from Darbhanga in Bihar to undivided Bengal. He was born in Bhola, Bangladesh’s biggest island on the Bay of Bengal. They were responsible for maintaining the cleanliness in the city. The work was harsh and harder. Since the 1930s, till this day in Bhola, Manek Lal Dom lives in a rented house. This is a government rented house for which they pay about 80 Taka per month. Plus of course, more than a 1000 taka for electricity and 500 taka for water too every month. This from a salary of TK 6000 per month. Imagine, a family that came over more than 100 years ago, but still does not have a house of its own to live. That result is people living in the street or open spaces.

Biggest victim of state sponsored eviction

Actually, ‘Harijans’ in Bangladesh face the threat of eviction as they don’t have any residential papers and live at the ‘mercy’ of the state. The fact of the matter is that during the partition, a large number of refugees including the Dalits came to India from East and West Pakistan but the sanitation workers were not that fortunate as leaders wanted them to be there. If they are not there then who would clean their toilets, is said to be an argument of a ‘great leader’ during the partition movement. The gross failure of the respective governments everywhere is that the city cleaners never got the right to a life with dignity. Rather than honouring their hard work and acknowledging the discrimination they face daily both at the hands of the authorities as well as common people, Hindus and Muslims alike, these Harijans face threat of evictions any time. An eviction happened in Dhaka’s famous Miranzila Harijan colony on June 11, 2024 where they had been living for generations. “Although the authorities claimed they will evict 87 families, they are planning to evict more than 120 families,” said Nirmal Chandra Das, secretary general of Bangladesh Harijan Oikya Parishad.[ii]

As a research paper narrates the story of Dalit ghettoisation within Dhaka. ‘The Dalits have been ghettoised in 27 hubs (12 are prominent) in and around Dhaka. A very few of them could establish their career outside the precincts. They are not unified as they have internecine strife, which is an obstacle before obtaining enough social capital to secure their collective interests. As a result, they could flourish themselves as successful individual entrepreneurs.  The Dalits of Bangladesh (experience) regimented patriarchy. But in Dhaka the women enjoy relatively more freedom. This opens another frontier of dilemma. They become educated, and due to the open media, they know the world faster, but finally, they discover that their world is confined to their precinct. They discover their capability failures and newer types of intersectionality every day.  “It is better to be born an idiot, rather than handicapped conscious beings”- said a Dalit girl to me. Her name was Anuradha. I heard it with a friend and sighed’[iii].

Many people might ask, why can’t these people stay elsewhere? Why do they live in the slums of Dhaka? I have visited these slums in Dhaka and can only say that the circumstances that they live is simply ‘unliveable’. Most of the time, they are surrounded by filthy water where mosquitos and other insect fly around and a heavy stink make things impossible to stay on. I saw the similar conditions in Bhola when I visited Manek Lal Dom’s house. There was no electricity. Dom said that they can’t any house on rent outside as none of the owners want to give them house on rent so most of the people end up staying on the street and roads as they don’t have the capacity to buy a house for themselves.

Imagine a community which was brought to clean human excreta has not got a place to live and frankly live as non-citizens of the country. If even after working for nearly 40 years, the salary is 6000TK then it reflects a highly iniquitous social order. When the issue of Dalit was being used as a Hindu subject then why have the leaders of two independent countries not pushed for a better lot for them? They could have shown, by example, that societies which are Islamic do not recognise birth-based differences and that they would do their best to bring the marginalised to the mainstream, but that never happened.

A report in Bangladesh suggested that many of the ‘Harijans’ are now changing their names as well as surnames so that they are not identified by caste. The report says the Telugus are now using the title, to be seen as a native Bangladesh. I witnessed this in Bhola too where most of the youth had Bengali sounding surnames. The friend who took me various places and son of a Bhojpuri Harijan put down his surname as De. When he came to the hotel to meet me, we were speaking in English and he was speaking with my Bangladeshi friend in Bangla. After some time, I realized that he was not well versed in English. These friends asked me whether I understand Bangla to which I replied that I can understand a bit. After some time, I just casually asked whether he understand Hindi or watch Hindi movies or serials which are popular. I was shocked to hear that this friend told me that he knows Hindi well and his ancestors came from Darbhanga in Bihar!

‘The Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent, report 2023 entitled ‘The Situation of Dalits in Bangladesh: Country Report says that, ‘ The literacy rate among male and female Dalits is 48.3% and 38.7% respectively which is far behind Bangladesh’s national literacy rate of 74.66%. Most of the Dalits live in designated housing settlements built on common land i.e. Khas land and 56% of Dalit households do not have any land.[iv]’

Unprotected and isolated

The biggest crisis for the sweeper or the Harijan community in Bangladesh is that the state has no protection for them. No encouragement to enter services other than sanitation work. The community itself has been pushed into the margins, limiting their struggle to better housing and more sanitary jobs in various government services including municipalities or big city corporations. While the ‘reports’ always try to suggest that it is only the Hindus who discriminate against them, none else. A very similar approach by Pakistani Dalit Rights groups is evident, too, who feel comfortable narrating the Brahmanical history a ‘Dalit’ without ever questioning their own rulers and authorities on the steps taken to combat structural discrimination. In fact, no report in Bangladesh has, so far, spoken about the job reservation for the Dalit community, particularly Harijans, in non-sanitation work. In fact, today, that job too is under attack: similar to various municipalities in India, it has been reported that a number of non-Harijans pay money to get the better paid sweeper’s job in various municipalities and government offices and then sublet the work to the Harijans on petty remuneration. In fact, due to these irregularities Sheikh Hasina government promised to ‘ensure’ 80% reservation in the sanitation work for the Harijan community. This was opposed and the so called ‘revolution’ in Bangladesh actually created more insecurity among Dalits particularly the Harijan community as they are not clear whether there will be a protection for their job in government departments particularly for sweepers as well as sanitation work.

Babul Das (56), a sweeper from Madarbari Shebok Colony in Chittagong, said: “Our children do not get white collar jobs even though they have the qualifications. It would console our heart if even one of us got an official job. But unfortunately, this never happens. Sweeping is the only profession, no matter whether we want to stick to it or not. Our destiny is sweeping, though this too is uncertain nowadays[v].”

Ironically, the stigma, discrimination continues to ‘track’ them despite living in a different society. The issue of Dalits is not merely that of being part of a hierarchical Hindu caste order but those who claim not to have anything to do with the caste system and birth-based discrimination, actually, have to answer more as the conditions under their leadership and society is perhaps worse. Dalits in Islamic Bangladesh and Pakistan, have no voice of their own.

A newspaper report in Bangladesh says, ‘Brought into the Bengal region by the British government from Madras, Kanpur, Hyderabad and some southern areas of what is now India, this sweeper community consists of people who are known as Harijans. They were chosen for the job and brought here as cleaners because of their status as ‘Dalits’ or ‘low class’ Hindus. Although they left their place of origin, the stigma surrounding their identity did not leave them[vi]’.

While I was not able to visit these localities in Dhaka myself, other researchers have found out that ‘Dhaka city has six sweeper colonies where they live a vulnerable life. These are: Ganoktuli, Dayaganj, Dhalpur, Sutrapur, Agargaon and Mohammadpur sweeper colonies[1].In Dhaka city, the Telegu  Sweepers are the large in number, they are concentrated mainly in four ghettos or quarters, known as :(1) Wari or Tikatuli Sweeper quarters; (2) Dhalpur Sweepers quarter, officially named city Palli; (3) Gopibag sweepers quarter, and (4) Muhammadpur Sweeper quarter. All the quarters are located within the perimeter of Dhaka city[vii].

There are few other areas, for example, Wari (Tikatuli), Babu Bazar, Dhalpur, Gopibagh and Mohammadpur, where the Harijan sweepers are largely concentrated. Over one lakh sweepers live in the Ganaktuli Sweeper Colony located on a piece of 20 acres of land by the side of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Headquarters at Pilkhana[viii].

It is equally important to know that most of the ‘Harijans’ did not migrate to East Bengal, as it was then called during pre-partition days but were taken there, either by the Mughals in the 16^th century or later by the British in the 19^th century. Motive: to carry out sanitation and sweeping work for their cantonments and other institutions of the Raj.

‘In the nineteenth century, for example, fifty sweepers were brought from Kanpur by the British Government to clean public toilets which were constructed in Dhaka for the city dwellers by the Ordinance No. 7 of 1870. In 1905, however, more sweepers were required with the establishment of Dhaka as the capital of East Bengal. The sweepers used to carry out the task of cleaning the city on daily basis.[ix]’

Absence of concrete data  

Ironically, we don’t have exact figures for manual scavenging in Bangladesh. If you ask activists, most of them will deny its existence but the fact is the entire country does not even have the flush toilet system. If that is the reality, how does the entire sewage system work? We also have not seen any sewage system reports or any of deaths in sewage cleaning operation in Bangladesh. A report published last year by Down to Earth, actually revealed that manual scavenging still persist in many parts and most of those engaged in it are those who were brought in by the British from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

‘There are around 800-1,000 Dalits in Lalmonirhat (Rangpur division).They are all involved in activities related to sanitation. Some 50-60 are actively engaged in manual scavenging. Their ancestors were non-Bengalis who were forced to migrate from the northern and southern parts of India (present-day Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh) to East Bengal (now Bangladesh) under the pretext of permanent government jobs by the British before the 1947 Partition of the subcontinent’[x].

Sadly, there is no data or monitoring of death in sewage or septic tank as well as number of people engaged in manual scavenging. A research paper reported that ‘Total 136 person died in 5 years from 2014 to 2018 in Septic Tank according Bangladesh institute of labour studies’[xi].

Glossy reports –to the contrary–suggest that Bangladesh became almost open defecation free in 2019.

Bangladesh is almost open defecation free (about 99% achieved). Basic sanitation coverage is 64%, safely managed sanitation is currently 36.4% in rural areas. (Source: Multi Cluster Indicator Survey, MICS, 2019 report by BBS and UNICEF)[xii]. World Bank data too show that there is zero open air defecation in Bangladesh[xiii] but a report published by Daily Star, Dhaka says that while Bangladesh has definitely succeeded in reducing the open-air defecation yet, this has not reached at zero level. Actually, such reports that Bangladesh has succeeded in achieving the target of zero open air defecation have been appearing in the global media since 2016 but the reality is far from this. If NGOs, academics and activists make this a priority concern, a different story could emerge, as evident from the account published by Daily star, Dhaka, which says ‘Over 21 lakh people in Bangladesh engage in open defecation in the absence of public toilets, raising the risk of health hazards via the transmission of a wide range of diseases, says a Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report. It further says that, the number of people practicing open defecation in Rangpur is 7.35 lakh, while it is 1.24 lakh in Dhaka’[xiv].

Bangladesh Dalits and the Excluded Rights Movement

The Bangladesh Dalit and Excluded Rights Movement is working harder to empower the Dalits and Harijan communities. The effort is not merely movement based but also provides decent alternative to the community engaged in sanitation work. It is working deeply in the communities in different parts of the country and new young leaders are emerging from the community. BDERM also used international solidarity and has presented reports on the conditions of Dalits at the international forums too. However, it needs to be careful and could expand its reach if the movement grows in diversity and autonomy followed by building up a confederation of various organisations working on the issue. Of course, the approach should not confine to merely ‘agitational work’ but also positive work, skill development as well as ensuring their representation in government services, educational institutions and most importantly seeking their involvement and engagement in non-sanitation or non- sweeping occupations. BDERM has been net-working with international solidarity as well as Indian organisations like Safai karmchari Andolan but also building up national solidarity and doing advocacy for the rights of Harijans with the government. BDERM has a network of over 17 NGOs and 2000 individuals and has been working at the international forum along with International Dalit Solidarity Network. They have been demanding a National Dalit Rights Commission but things have not moved much. Bangladesh must also think of enacting an Anti-Untouchability and Anti-Manual scavenging law but that would only be possible if the activists and the government think that the issue is serious and requires this. If they instead all remain in denial mode then, it this becomes difficult. For that to happen, academics, media, NGOs, social movements must focus on gathering data and monitoring violation of cases particularly related to untouchability, manual scavenging, septic tank or sewage deaths and other issues of those working as sweepers in municipalities and other private and government institutions.

The new Dalit movement in Bangladesh is making every effort in the right direction but it needs more strength to build a community leadership. Intellectuals and activists cannot satisfy themselves by dismissing this as a ‘caste system’ and the ‘internal problems’ of Hindus. They are citizens of Bangladesh and need full protection. So far, I found the demand by them was for a dignified housing and government job as Safai Karmcharis, for which the earlier government had fixed a quota of 80% for the Harijan community. Even this is not implemented. The result is non-Harijans are getting jobs which are relatively better paid but keep the children of Harijans as absentee cleaner, a practice very much prevalent in India too.

Moreover, as we demand in India, the government must ensure reservation for children of Harijan communities in the non-sanitation work. They must get equal opportunity to progress and for that their children must get preferential treatment in the form of affirmative action. Most importantly, government must prohibit the use of the term Harijans, which is purely demeaning and also the biggest mental block of the community to think beyond sanitation work. Right now, the threat is to their livelihood through mechanization as well as hijacking of their jobs by others through corrupt practices. All reports suggest they face the biggest threat of eviction and a majority of them despite living there in the third or fourth generation do not have a house of their own.

For long the issue of Dalits has been side tracked but now the situation demands the government focus on their emancipation through constitutional provisions banning untouchability and caste discrimination in all forms and practice. Some positive measures need to be taken including job reservation, education, health, housing and land redistribution. Will the Dhaka government act and respect the sacrifices of the Harijan community people who make Bangladesh clean and yet do not have access to safe and clean drinking water and living conditions? Let us hope that the government of Bangladesh will act positively and provide dignified alternative to one of the most marginalized communities, called Harijans in Bangladesh.

[i] Social Exclusion and Multiple Discriminations of Harijan Community in Rajshahi, Bangladesh by Goelam Mohammad Nur, Md Redwanur Rahman, S M Shaffiuzzman and Kamrun Nohar Sona. https://www.ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2309644.pdf

[ii]  No Home for Harijans by Md Abbas, Daily Star, June 11,2024 https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/no-home-harijans-3631801

[iii] The Dalits in Dhaka: where the society has doubled their marginalization, 24.10.23 – Dhaka, Bangladesh – Pressenza New York,  https://www.pressenza.com/2023/10/the-dalits-in-dhaka-where-the-society-has-doubled-their-marginalization/

[iv] Situation of Dalits in Bangladesh : Country Report 2023

https://globalforumcdwd.org/landmark-report-documents-harsh-reality-of-cdwds-of-bangladesh/

[v] Tanvir Hossain, Daily Star, Dhaka March 19, 2013 https://www.thedailystar.net/news/the-sweepers-a-socially-excluded-community

[vi] Beyond destiny: The new generation at Dayaganj sweeper colony look forward to a different future by Aziz Hakim, August 30, 2022, The Business Standard, Dhaka

https://www.tbsnews.net/features/panorama/beyond-destiny-new-generation-dayaganj-sweeper-colony-look-forward-different

[vii] Human Rights Conditions Of Horizon (Sweeper), Community In Dhaka, Bangladesh, a legal review, 2010

https://www.lawyersnjurists.com/article/human-rights-conditions-of-horizon-sweeper-community-in-dhaka-bangladesh/

[viii] The Harijans of Bangladesh: Living with the injustice of Untouchability, by Prof Dr Md Rahmat Ullah, published by Empowerment of through law of the common people, Dhaka P 14

[ix] Ibid P 55-56

[x] In a corner of Bangladesh, manual scavenging is impacting a treatment plant’s sustainability by Sarim, Down to Earth, 9 January 2024.

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/water/in-a-corner-of-bangladesh-manual-scavenging-is-impacting-a-treatment-plant-s-sustainability-93793

[xi] Septic Tank accidents in Bangladesh are rising: Few facts and thoughts by Safwatul Haque Niloy, WASH Coordinator, OXFAM in Bangladesh, April 2024

379986519_Septic_tank_accidents_in_Bangladesh_are_rising_Few_facts_and_thoughts/link/66252f1cf7d3fc287472e944/download?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIn19

[xii] People’s Republic of Bangladesh Country Overview 2020

https://www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/2020_Country-Overview_Bangladesh.pdf

[xiii] World Bank Data, Bangladesh

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SH.STA.ODFC.ZS?locations=BD

[xiv] 21 lakh people in Bangladesh practice open defecation: BBS, Daily Star, Dhaka, November 19, 2022 https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/bangladesh-lags-behind-sanitation-3173416

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This year in March, while this writer was serving as a short-term resident scholar in New York, an MA Class student of Islamic studies at New York University (NYU), posted an online request for “prayers for Bangladesh”. The NYU student wrote:

“We request prayers for the easing of hardships faced by Bangladeshi students. At Dhaka University, a long-standing tradition among Muslim boys to break their fast (iftaar) in the halls were physically assaulted because they were consuming beef as part of their meal. One student even sustained injuries and began bleeding due to the violence inflicted upon him”. This set me thinking and pondering about what was going to happen in Bangladesh. Far from my country, I was doing a prognosis: what in the near future would be the fate of the nation I have always known as “the most moderate Muslim polity” in the Indian neighbourhood. In light of the violent incidents in March, the student fraternity in Bangladesh backed by an alleged support from some foreign forces (read American) student unions were getting more and more mobilised. This gave them an enabling environment to create an uproar in their country which has now resulted into the regime change. This is precisely what was behind the change of guard in Bangladesh on the 5th August of 2024.

Now when Bangladesh has accepted the regime change after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has resigned following a mass rebellion that killed nearly 300 people, my bewilderment, which worries me more than before, is: what if the crisis would spill over to India? Amid the anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh, be it politically or religiously motivated, the change of guard in bleeding Bangladesh could be bad news for Indian Muslims too.

This change comes as very difficult to many moderate and mainstream Indian Muslims who adhere to the religiously pluralist, peaceful and culture-friendly Islam. The political unrest and communal violence and radical Islamist rise among the Bangladesh people is a serious threat to the Indian Hindu-Muslims’ historically healthy relations back home.

Therefore, most significantly, speaking up for the victims of violence and fostering peace and tranquillity amidst the crisis and multifaceted challenges in Bangladesh is more sagacious and essential on part of us Muslims. It will consequently help mitigate the continuing or potential communal tensions in the South Asian region.

In an unequivocal, strong press statement, IMSD has condemned the attacks on the life and property of Bangladeshi Hindus. The Daily Star published from Dacca, and other newspapers reported that on the day the students’ movement declared “independence” from the Awami League’s authoritarian regime, at least 142 people were killed in attacks and clashes around the country, with hundreds injured. Hindu houses and businesses were looted and torched in at least 27 districts. “In the anarchic situation that prevails in the country, fearing for their lives, a large number of Hindus living close to the border have been attempting to cross over to India leaving behind their homes, businesses and motherland”, the IMSD said.

The strongly-worded statement supported and endorsed by over 50 Indian Muslim intellectuals further reads: “The attack on temples, Hindu homes and businesses, and the targeting of Rahul Ananda’s secular musical space is clear indication that some fanatical Islamist groups — there is no dearth of them in Bangladesh — are pursuing their own intolerant agenda”.

Most significantly, the statement in its conclusion exhorts and urges the majority of Muslims in India and Bangladesh not to be mute and silent spectators. It rather awakens them and says: “Bangladesh politics must not be allowed to degenerate into majoritarianism as India’s has. Communalism is a sub-continental malaise and must be fought across borders. We call upon Muslim organisations and individuals in India to strongly condemn the targeting of minorities in Bangladesh.”

Not that no Islamic organisation or conventional Muslim outfit in India or Bangladesh is speaking out against the lynch mobs, arsonists looters and fanatics. We have heard and seen how a human chain was built by some Madrasa students to protect Hindu places of worship in Bangladesh. Even some of the Islamist preachers who otherwise played a communal and sometimes viciously divisive role in the past have showed a totally different face of theirs standing up for the Hindu victims of violence.

Most strikingly, the largest Islamist party in Bangladesh (Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami) and even Jama’at-e-Islami Hind (JeI) in India have condemned the attacks on Hindus. The JeI’s wing in Delhi-NCR (Faridabad) issued a press release in Urdu newspapers in which Maulana Jamaluddin of JeI has been quoted as saying: “Targeting any community or religious group is condemnable; we must condemn it unequivocally or this disquiet will spread.…We have urged all leaders of the community to come together to address this issue and promote a harmonious culture of understanding”.

It would not have been surprising if these words were to come from the Sufi Sunni ulema and clerics who repeatedly issued clichés like these. Astonishingly, even the Salafis and Ahl-e-Hadith as well as the Jama’at-e Islami, Hind have been known for non-tolerant attitudes towards non-Muslims and their places of worship have condemned the anti-Hindu attacks. More surprisingly, they came out to condemn these acts of violence targeting the minorities in Bangladesh with several verses from the Qur’an, as well as Ahadith and Asaar-e-Sahaba (sayings and actions attributed to the Prophet’s companions).

For instance, Assam’s well-known Deobandi scholar, Maulana Nurul Amin Qasmi who is famous for his distinct da’awah (preaching) style, went as far as to say: “We cannot comment on the internal issue of the neighbouring country. But as an Indian Muslim, I urge the Bangladeshis not to target the minorities in their country. Whether they are Hindus, Christians or Buddhists, any form of attack on innocent minority communities goes against the teaching of Islam and traditions of the holy Prophet (pbuh). Maulana Qasmi has extensively quoted from the Qur’an and Hadith to substantiate the point.

Syed Muhammad Ashraf Kichauchwi, President of All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board and chairman of World Sufi Forum, who has a huge following in Bangladeshi Sufi-Sunni pockets, especially in Chittagong, remarkably told this writer:

“The extremist fundamentalists who were in jails in Bangladesh and were banned from preaching also came out on the streets and they were doing their job under the cover of protesters, which emerged as a grave threat to the peace of the entire region. The basic idea of ​​Bangladesh was about tolerating everyone with an all-embracing faith based on love and peace, but now people with an ideology of deep-seated hatred are active. They are taking advantage of the situation to further their nefarious ends.”

He continued: In such a situation, people with the philosophy of love and acceptance should be more cautious now and should maximise their efforts to restore peace. We cannot be among those who silently watch the crisis as onlookers. He appealed to the people of Bangladesh not to give a new impetus to the ongoing riots and work for the restoration of peace on the ground. He also asked the people in India active on social media to act with restraint.

There is an urgent note of caution here. People spreading the agenda of communal hatred in our country also try to take advantage of bleeding Bangladesh to further spoil the sensitive environment and communal atmosphere in India. The way videos and pictures coming from Bangladesh are floating on the internet and the kind of provocation they are creating, pose serious threat to peace and harmony. The Indian government should put every possible check on this. It will have to think deeply and devise a decisive policy for the mitigation of the communal clash and tensions snowballing from the neighbouring country. The state agencies will have to keep an eye so that the fundamentalist ideology does not get nourished and nurtured in this backdrop. Otherwise it will be fatal for both: the country as well as the community.

Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is Sufi Mystic Indo-Islamic Scholar & Author based in Delhi. He can be reached at grdehlavi@gmail.com 

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