Minorities in Bangladesh | SabrangIndia

Bangladesh: Can minority communities expect a peaceful election this time?

Wed, 26 Dec 2018 09:47:25 +0000

The latest attack took place on Friday night in Thakurgaon, where eight houses belonging to a Hindu family were gutted in a fire in Sadar upazila, causing Tk5 lakh worth of damage

Local people visit the site of incident where eight houses belonging to a Hindu minority family, was gutted by a fire in the early hours of Friday, December 21, 2018 Dhaka Tribune

While the nation has been gearing up to vote in a new government on Sunday, there have been several reports of violent attacks across the country – on election campaigns, offices, and sometimes, on the candidates themselves.

Some of the victims of these attacks were reportedly members of minority communities, and it is claimed that the attacks were aimed at inciting communal violence ahead of the general election, slated for December 30.

The latest of such attacks took place on Friday night in Thakurgaon, where eight houses belonging to a Hindu family were gutted in a fire in Sadar upazila, causing Tk5 lakh worth of damage.

Local political leaders blamed rival parties for trying to instigate communal violence and disrupt the election process. However, the local fire department and upazila administration said it was merely an accident, which the political leaders were trying to take advantage of.
Earlier on December 16, four houses belonging to local Hindu families were set on fire by unknown assailants in the middle of the night at Sonagazi upazila of Feni, resulting in damages worth Tk10 lakh.

Local police said they were looking into the case to find out who had done it, and why.

So far, no evidence has been found that these incidents were deliberate and aimed at stoking communal violence before the election.

Yet, the minority communities of the country are still dreading attacks – given the history of violence against them in Bangladesh.

According to Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad (Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council), around 380 people belonging to minority communities have been attacked between January and August this year.

The number of attacks and incidents of violence on members of the minority communities stood at 1,471 in 2016 and 1,004 in 2017.

The historical trend
Minority communities in Bangladesh have faced a shocking amount of violence during election periods, according to community members and rights activists.

In many cases, the violence forced members of minority communities to leave the country to escape persecution.

Advocate Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad, said since 1990, elections are not a festival for minority communities, but a terrible catastrophe as they come under attack.

The 2008 elections were an exception, as minority communities did not face any major violence then, he added.

According to a study conducted by Dhaka University Professor Abul Barkat, between 1964 and 2013, around 11.3 million Hindus left Bangladesh due to religious persecution and discrimination.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune about the main reasons behind the exodus, Prof Barkat said the biggest reason is that minority communities do not feel secure in Bangladesh.

During the regime of the BNP-led alliance from 2001 to 2006, minority communities, especially Hindus, became a major target. Hundreds of Hindus were killed, and hundreds of temples and idols were vandalized and burned.

At that time, rights activists throughout the country protested against the violence and urged the government to bring justice to the victims.

After the Awami League returned to power in December 2008, rights activists drew the attention of the government to try those responsible for post-electoral violence in 2001.

The government then formed a commission, headed by Judge Shahabuddin, which submitted a report containing several recommendations to the then home minister Sahara Khatun in 2011. However, the recommendations are yet to be implemented.

Rana Dasgupta said following the formation of the commission, several rights groups, including Ain O Salish Kendra, Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad, and Nari Progati Sangha, compiled a list of around 15,000 incidents of violence against minorities during the tenure of the previous BNP-led government.

On January 5, 2014, the day of the 10th general election, more than 200 people carried out an attack on the Hindu community in the village of Malopara under Abhaynagar upazila in Jessore. The attackers burnt down 12 houses and vandalized over 130 others during the attack. They also exploded 10-15 crude bombs and injured several people.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Mukul Sarkar, who was wounded during the attack on Malopara, said they still live with the horrors of that experience.

“We are peaceful, but became victims of election-related violence,” he said.

Sarkar fears similar attacks might be carried out on December 30.

Saying that they do not want to live in such fear, he added: “If these violent acts continue, we have to leave our country.”

Apart from Jessore, minority communities in Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Lalmonirhat came under attack before and after the 2014 general election.

Sanjoy Dey, a resident of Banshkhali upazila in Chittagong, said: “Minority communities are not victims of election-related violence, but a vested group used election-related violence against minority communities to serve their own agenda.

“During election time, these evil forces try to strike fear in minority communities, going as far as attacking entire communities, forcing the minorities to leave the country,” he said.

The risky areas
Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad has identified 40-50 areas across the country as high risk and 80-85 areas as risky for election-related violence, as those places have large populations belonging to minority communities.

In those areas, the council has formed area-based committees, with youths trained to tackle violence against minorities – particularly election-related violence.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune over phone, Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad Presidium Member Kajal Debnath said it is common for minority communities to be victims of election-related violence, even though they themselves do not perpetrate any violence.
He urged all major political parties to speak out on the issue, in order to raise awareness among political activists.

He also opined that political leaders should be held responsible if any political party carries out attacks.

Veteran actor Pijush Bandyopadhyay, also the convener of Samprity Bangladesh, also expressed fear that the minority groups in Bangladesh may face attacks during the upcoming election.

In a press briefing at the National Press Club in October this year, he said: “We fear that those responsible for atrocities during the Liberation War will spring to action before the polls.”

“Considering the incidents that took place following previous elections, we fear that such attacks will occur again,” he added.

Pijush also called upon the Muslims of the country to stand against any such atrocities.

The post Bangladesh: Can minority communities expect a peaceful election this time? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Bangladesh Communal Violence: Nasirnagar Attacks Driving Away Hindus

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 05:30:54 +0000

The Hindus of Nasirnagar area in Brahmanbaria district who had chosen not to flee despite massacres committed against them during the 1971 Liberation War are now thinking of it as the last option to save their life.

Two Hindu women offer devotion before an idol of Lord Shiva, broken from an attack on the temple at Makhalpara, Brahmanbaria on Sunday. The photo was taken yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN APU

At least six Hindu families have already left the country after Sunday’s attacks that destroyed over a dozen temples and Puja pavilions, and more than 100 houses. Around 100 people including women were injured in the attacks.

Some 3,000 Muslims took part in the series of violent attacks that were carried out in the Hindu localities of Nasirnagar following a rally over an alleged defamatory post by an illiterate Hindu youth, Rasraj Das, on Facebook even though he had apologised to the Muslims the day before saying that his account had been hacked.

On Saturday, Rasraj – an Awami League supporter – was caught, beaten up and handed over to the police by the radicals, who also vandalised and looted his house, and destroyed two Puja pavilions at his Haripur village.

The rally was organised allegedly by the local leaders of radical Islamist groups Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat and Hefazat-e-Islam through announcements from local mosques the previous day – a trend seen many times in the recent years to attack temples and houses of the Hindus and the Buddhists across the country.

It is alleged that some local Awami League leaders assisted the mob in carrying out the attack. Two of them were identified as Sheikh Abdul Ahad, former chairman of Nasirnagar Upazila, and his son Oli Mia.

When some central leaders of the ruling Awami League visited the area yesterday, the affected Hindus complained to them against the officer-in-charge of Nasirnagar police, Abdul Kader, for his indifference to protect them and the temples. They also demanded withdrawal of the OC and UNO Chowdhury Md Moazzem Hossain for their inaction.

A four-member team of the Awami League led by Organising Secretary AKM Enamul Haque Shamim visited the affected temples and houses yesterday, and assured the Hindus of informing the prime minister about the situation during a closed-door meeting with the locals.

At that time, the central leaders called party’s General Secretary Obaidul Kader who said that they were ashamed of the attacks perpetrated on the Hindus, and assured them of taking necessary action, a Hindu youth who attended the meeting told the Dhaka Tribune.

Locals say that around 33% voters of Nasirnagar are Hindus and they have always favoured the Awami League.

Meanwhile, Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif has condemned the attacks and vowed to stand by the side of the victims. From a press conference in Dhaka, Hanif alleged that communal forces had carried out the attacks to destabilise the country.

The government would pay compensation to the victims and take legal action against the culprits, he added.

Demanding harsh punishment of Rasraj, who is now in police custody, the agitated Muslims in Nasirnagar staged protest programmes on Monday amid tight security by police and RAB.

On the other hand, the radical Muslims of Madhabpur in nearby Habiganj district were instigated by the Nasirnagar incident and attacked on two temples following a protest rally on Sunday. Another communal attack was launched on two other temples at Chhatak of Sunamganj on Monday.

Mosques used to incite attacks

The announcement of holding the protest rally on Nasirnagar playground at 10am Sunday came from the mosques of the villages in the area through megaphones saying that a Hindu had insulted the Holy Kaaba.

Local Hindus told the Dhaka Tribune that they had heard the announcements at Norpur, Asurain, Phulpur, Pandao, Capartala, Kaliuta, Guniag, and Bolapur villages. Of them, Norpur, Asurain and Phulpur are known as strongholds of radical Muslims. They also distributed leaflets in the area.

People joined the rally in groups holding sticks and brooms, chanting slogans demanding capital punishment for Rasraj and vowing to uproot the local Hindus terming them kafirs.

The upazila chairman, UNO, OC of Nasirnagar also attended the meeting and gave speeches. The upazila administration later said that they had allowed the meeting on condition that it should be peaceful.

But some of the unruly presence wanted to go violent, apparently in a pre-planned manner, and started attacking the nearby Hindu houses, temples and Puja pavilions in Kasipara, Sutrodhorpara, Ghoshpara, Songkorpara, Pascimpara, Gangkulpara and Makhalpara areas.

Witnesses said that most of the attackers were young while some took part wearing veils. They also looted valuables from the houses and temples, but were careful that no Muslim house was harmed.

Rasraj’s empty house

When the Dhaka Tribune reporter visited the damaged house of Rasraj yesterday evening, he found it vacant as his parents and siblings went into hiding. The local friends of Rasraj also did not want to acknowledge him as a friend fearing reprisal.

Some other families of the village have already left the place. An elderly person of the Hindu community told the Dhaka Tribune wishing not to be named that at least five families had crossed the border in the last two days.

He said: “Many Hindu families have left their houses and are afraid of coming back to the village. I came here to observe the situation and will go back to my relative’s house in the night.”

Local Bulu Mia, who knew Rasraj – a fisherman, said that the youth was a good person. “I think he does not know the Kaaba … How did he post a photo on Facebook when he is an illiterate person?”

In a post early Saturday, Rasraj apologised to the Muslims from his Facebook profile saying that his account had been hacked.

Bulu Mia said that they had never seen such communal attacks in the village. “The Hindus and Muslims here live together and attend everyone’s programmes.”

Asked if Rasraj had conflict with someone, Bulu said that he might have taken loan for his fishing project from some Muslim businessmen. “He shared with us that he was looking for loans.”

Local Hindus said that the attackers who vandalised the house had also looted the valuables.

People of the Hindu community including women and children said that they were scared of going out of the house fearing attacks.

This article, first published on Dhaka Tibune is being republished with permission

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Brahmanbaria temple demolition in Bangladesh: Nonchalant admin to blame

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 06:10:06 +0000

Only 30-35 policemen were deployed to control a 3000-men strong crowd, which later turned into an unruly mob and vandalised about 100 homes and 10 temple in the district's Nasirnagar upazila

The conjoint idol of Radha and Krishna– Hindu god and goddess, somehow survived an attack launched on different temples in Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar on Sunday, October 30, 2016Dhaka Tribune

Brahmanbaria’s Nasirnagar upazila administration had allowed a meeting of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat knowing full well they would demand justice for a Facebook post hurting Muslim sentiments.

An unruly mob broke away from those meetings and turned on Hindu inhabitants of the area vandalising about 100 homes and 10 temples. The attack left several hundred Hindus homeless and at 100 injured. Many have expressed fears of returning to their homesteads.

According to Nasirnagar OC, Md Abdul Kader, there were about 3,000 people at the meetings. “There were about 30-35 policemen.”

Supporters of Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat are seen with sticks on a Nasirnagar street in Brahmanbaria on Sunday, October 30, 2016 during an attack on local Hindu minority house and temples Dhaka Tribune

The sub-district’s administrative head, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said he had given permission for a peaceful rally of pious Mulsims who would demand justice for debasing the Masjid al-Haram.

When asked about police deployment, however, UNO Chowdhury Md Moazzem Hossain said there had been no such incidents in Nasirnagar’s history. “So we did not bother with police deployment.”
He also said that he was not in charge of police deployment either, although UNOs are crucial to the administrative affairs of their areas.

Locals have reported that the meeting was announced in the area through megaphones on Saturday shoring up sentiments and informing those who were unaware of the FB post.

According to allegations, one Rasraj Das had put up a Facebook post depicting Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, creation and regeneration sitting atop the Kaaba that Muslims face towards during prayers. Das was beaten up and handed over to the local police Saturday (October 29) afternoon.

His last FB post of 5:24am on Saturday, however, says that he was completely unaware of such a post and that his account had obviously been hacked. He begins the post, “Firstly I apologise to all Muslim brothers for someone had put up a photo from my account without my knowledge.”

He goes on to name a few people who had brought the matter to his attention since he had no idea following which Rasraj deleted the photo.

The police superintendent of Brahmanbaria Md Mizanur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune that the police were probing into such matters as whether certain specific quarters had incited the attack.

When asked about Das claiming innocence, the police super said, “Everything will become clear after investigations are over.”

He said the police were not keen on treating this incident as similar to that of Ramu in 2013, when Buddhist pagodas and holy sites were vandalised for a Facebook post apparently by one Uttam Barua, a Buddhist.

OC Abdul Kader said the meeting was organised by a platform claiming to be ‘all party pious Muslims’ and the Ahle Sunnat wal-Jamaat was a prime mover.

This Krishna Temple in Brahmanbaria’s Nasirnagar was vanalised during an attack on Hindu minority in the area on Sunday, October 30, 2016 Dhaka Tribune

A quarter of the locals has alleged that this attack was entirely incited to unseat the local five-time MP, Sayedur Rahman.

A press statement of the district unit of ruling Awami League has demanded removal of UNO Moazzem and OC Kader for their negligence.

According to the police, Rasraj Das has been booked under the ICT Act, while two cases were lodged against 1,200 unnamed assailants on Sunday evening.

The police have so far detained nine persons for vandalism and communal violence. Currently there is a large deployment in the area with three platoons of border guards, over 200 policemen and RAB personnel.

This article was first published on Dhaka Tribune

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