Towards
a Hinduless Bangladesh?
Atrocities, violence, torture and discrimination against the religious minorities are all time high in Bangladesh.
~ Chitra
Paul
Good
morning and Namaskar, Ladies & Gentlemen, my name is Chitra Paul and I came
from Sweden to represent Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist & Christian Unity
Council Europe & Sweden. Thanks to the organizers to give me the
opportunity to express our concern.
Bangladesh,
was independent in 1971 as a secular state with about 20% non-Muslim
population. Today, in just 44 years it is almost radicalized. ‘Islam’ is now
its State religion and its religious minority population is dwindled to less
than 9%. The country is heading towards a monolithic Islamic country.
Atrocities,
violence, torture and discrimination against the religious minorities is going
on regularly. It was recognized only few years back by UNCHR and recently by
Amnesty International and can be called as ethnic cleansing or silent genocide.
Rape
and abduction of young girls from minority communities is a common phenomenon.
Most of the kidnapped women have been forcibly converted. Law enforcement has
turned a blind eye on the issue.
Destruction
of temples and churches are going on as usual. As a non-Muslim or as a secular
person one cannot express his or her freedom of speech. Recently, Avijit Roy,
blogger from USA, was chopped to death in Bangladesh during his visit. The news
is known world widely.
Hate
Speech against religious minorities is very common in Bangladesh. Imams of the
mosques give fake news and religious fatwa to provoke attacks on religious
minorities. Our own house in Noakhali was burned like many others in the
country,
Just 50
years before the indigenous people were majority in Chittagong Hill Tract, but
government systematically infiltrated Muslims to make indigenous people
minority and now they are on the verge of extinction.
Amnesty
International has made an urgent appeal to the Bangladesh government to provide
its minority better protection.
And believe
it or not, religious minorities are still a easy target. That is why we see
different waves of torture during and after every election. I asked myself a
question, is it possible for Christian & Yazdis in ISIS dominant areas to
survive honorably and grow?
Situation
in Bangladesh is almost similiar, but to a lesser extent. Their ultimate goal
is same ‘Free the Muslim land from the infidels’.
Finally
I am asking and beging the international community to come forward and help the
religious minorities for their existence and survival before it is too late.
Thank you for listening.
A Few
Quotes
*“Rape
and torture empties the villages” (The Guardian, July 21, 2003)
*An
overwhelming 98.68% of the rape victims are minority, and rapists happen to be
the cadres of the ruling parties, particularly of BNP. (The Daily Jankantha,
Dhaka, Feb. 17, 2002)
*Nearly
"200 Hindu women were gang raped by Muslim men" in Char Fashion, Bhola,
in one night at a single spot. (The Daily Star, Dhaka, Nov. 16, 2001).
Where
are the missing non-Muslims? Minority population is dwindling in Bangladesh. It
was about 20% in 1972 and now it is less than 10%. On 20th Nov 2013 at a
hearing in Washington, D.C. house foreign relations committee chairman Ed.
Royce told, ‘About 49 million Hindus are missing’ in Bangladesh. According to
the national Human Rights Commission Chairman, Dr. Mizanur Rahman, ‘Hindus will
become extinct in Bangladesh in the next 20 years!’ Another national daily
‘Prothom Alo’ wrote 0n 22nd Sept 2012, ‘Alarming decrease in Hindu population
in Bangladesh’. Let’s ask, where are those people?
Bangladesh goes
Taliban: In Oct 2014, in
Bardhaman, West Bengal, India, an explosion killed two Bangladeshis while they
were making bombs. It is reported in Bengali newspapers that, Bangladeshis are
joining IS (Islamic State). It’s a well-known fact that, Bin Laden had a
Bengali Brigade consisting of Bangladeshi Muslim youths. A Bengali Muslim Rezwan
Ferdaus got 17 years jail in US for plotting to attack Pentagon & the US
Capitol. Another Bangladeshi Quazi Nafis was sentenced to 30 years in prison in
US for plotting to blow up NY Federal Reserve. Just recently 2 young girls from
London & 4 young boys from Canada, all of Bangladeshi origin joined ISIS.
All these indicate that Bangladesh is going towards militancy, which is a
direct threat to the civilized world. While the government claimed the success
to curb terrorism in Bangladesh, but its policy to appease Islamists are
helping those goons to flourish.
Charles Tannock
wrote; 2005-07-19: Is Bangladesh headed into the black hole that consumed
Afghanistan under the Taliban? Fears are mounting, as official and
fundamentalist religious forces now seem to operate with impunity.
Bangladeshi
Islamists are gaining ground: DW
AKADEMIE 09.05.2013 <May 5, 2013>: Author Grahame Lucas/rom
http://www.dw.de/bangladeshi-islamists-are-gaining-ground/a-16798966
Vested
Property: Enemy (Vested)
Property Act: 48 years minorities are victimized by its own government.
Government did pass some modification recently, which is just eye-wash.
10 million
Hindus killed in 1971: Washington,
16th Oct (PTI): One Crore (10 million) Hindus were killed during Bangladesh
liberation movement. Pakistani army targeted Hindus and it was in real sense
genocide. 10 million helpless Hindus were killed. Politics & International
Affairs Professor Mr. Gary J. Bash of Princeton University wrote this in his
latest book. Post: Lotus Mission, Bartaman, 17-10-13.
Conclusion:
Senator Robert
Kennedy repot revealed that, Hindus were targeted in 1971, and believe it or
not, religious minorities are still a target, as I am talking now. That is why
we see different pogroms at different time and after every election. I asked
myself a question, is it possible for Christian & Yazdis in ISIS dominant
areas to survive honourably or grow? Situation in Bangladesh is same, but
lesser intensity and severity, although goal is same ‘Free the Muslim land from
the infidels’. And it is ongoing for half a century.
The world cannot
afford a second Afghanistan in Bangladesh. All of Asia’s powers, including
India, China and Japan, along with Europe and America, will have to play a part
in stopping Bangladesh’s drift into fanaticism and chaos. Therefor we are
calling upon the civilized world to come to the protection of these innocent
and peaceful people who have committed no other wrongs than belonging to faiths
other than what the Islamists would choose for them. The minorities have
suffered long enough in Bangladesh, made enormous sacrifices throughout its
history, and took monumental losses in lives and properties to warrant your
support in favor of their inalienable rights to their motherland.
Thank you.
Chitra
Paul, Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Europe & Sweden.
18th March 2015
This paper was read on 18th
March in Religion For Peace Summit as A CALL TO NON-DISCRIMINATION “EU LIVE
BUILDING PROCESS DAY AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: BRUSSELS, 18 TO 22 MARCH 2015.
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