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October 5, 2005
Bangladesh: Extreme Islamists and Politicians Create Climate of Violence and Fear
We mentioned below the leader of Pakistan's Islamic party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, which had threatened an Islamic "revolution" after Eid, the day of Ramadan's ending. His party's popularity may not be too high in Pakistan, but in Bangladesh, Jamaat-e-Islami (The Islamic Party) already have a measure of power in the country's coalition government, and have been junior members with the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) since 2001. What seems to be happening in Bangladesh is an increasing militancy of Islam, with attempts made by various Islamists to force the entire country to become entirely Islamic.
Originally part of Jinnah's Pakistan, which had a secular constitution, the Bangla speaking nation of Bangladesh ceceded in 1971, and now has a constitution which states: "The state religion of the Republic is Islam, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in the Republic." Recently this image of tolerance seems to be disappearing as the actions of Islamic militants within the country have risen. The bomb blasts of Aug 17 were targetted to make people take notice. The bombs, which killed 2 and injured 150, were spread throughout the country, and caused the country to grind to a halt for a day. The bombings were the work of two outlawed organisations, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen and Bangla Bhai.
What is extraordinary is the reaction of the legal Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami directly at the time of the attacks. A report filed on Aug 18, by South Asia Analysis Group states
..... leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, a coalition partner of the ruling BNP, have also blamed Awami League for these blasts. Jamaat leaders at a rally in Dhaka alleged that the Awami League conducted the unprecedented blasts as part of a blue print to make the country politically unstable.Though, the intelligence and law enforcing agencies failed in their job, they also obliquely referred to the Awami League for being responsible for the bomb blasts.
The Awami league is the main opposition party. What may irk Jamaat-e-Islami is that its leader is a woman, Sheikh Hasina Wazed (though this comment about women is perhaps unfair - the PM of Bangladesh, head of the BNP is a woman also, Begum Khaleda Zia). Hasina Wazed is the daughter of Mujibur Rahman who dominated Bangla politics from independence until 1981. Though socially left of centre, the Awami League is fairly secular in its outlook. We brought you news yesterday of the arrest of Mufti Abdul Hannan. The Awami league cite a report on their website that Mufti Hannan detained Bangladesh chapter chief of international militant outfit Harkatul Jihad, yesterday provided interrogators with significant information on his connections with some leaders of the ruling four-party alliance, sources said.The sources said Hannan named some leaders of the ruling alliance components with whom he used to maintain connections.
The investigators, however, did not disclose the names as per instructions from the government high-ups, which felt a jolt after Hannan told newsmen that he did not leave the country following assurance of no fear from former home minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury.
The recent bombings of courthouses at Chandpur, Dhaka, Laxmipur and Chittagong were designed to create fear in the judiciary, as if that would push the country towards Sharia, the stated aim of many of the country's extremists. But just two days after the bomb atrocities, it is announced by Pakistan's Daily Star that three Chittagong judges have since the incident received threats of bomb attack from anonymous callers, and demanding that they discharge their duties following Shariah. The judges in Chittagong are asking for bullet-proof vests and are demanding extra security.
Moreover, a militant organisation -- Islami Ain Bastabayon Parishad -- yesterday mailed three leaflets to Dhaka Bar Association asking it to cooperate in establishing Islamic rule in the country. The leaflets were similar to those circulated with the August 17 blasts.Some members of the legal profession staged demonstrations on Tuesday to protest at the current situation.
While members of the legal profession are fearful for their own security, members of the coalition government, according to Daily Star have been given unprecedented security protection. So far,
Similar measures are yet to be taken to provide security to the leaders of other political parties including Awami League (AL).We are following the orders of the home ministry, said a senior officer of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) requesting anonymity.
The situation is fast getting into one of chaos, obviously the aim of he various extremist groups. Members of the government has long been accused of turning a blind eye, and even encouraging terrorist organisations. Hasina Wazed of the AL is scathing of the current government. She accuses them outright of using terror tactics in an article
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has said the BNP-Jamaat alliance government is out to terrorize the people mounting bomb attacks across the country to manipulate next election."And it is not only the judiciary who are scared. Many liberals too are feeling threatened by the current explosion in Islamic militancy, all apparently encouraged by the coalition, according to a report yesterday from Reuters."They (government) are hatching a conspiracy to rig the forthcoming parliamentary polls as they are well aware of the fact that they will be voted out of office by the people," she said.
RAJSHAHI, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Economics professor Sanat Kumar Saha was relaxing at home when three men burst in. They tied him down and began stabbing him.The article explains how the liberal dream is turning sour, and mentions how the case of Shamshur Rahman in March, 1999 shocked Bangladesh's liberal elite from their comfort and complacency. This is the account given by himalmagSaha blames the attack on Islamist radicals opposed to his liberal views, and says he only escaped with his life because his nephew raised an alarm.
"They want to create a fear psychosis, so that the whole perspective of the state of Bangladesh can be transformed," he said at Rajshahi University in the north of the country. "They are transforming society and making it religious orientated."
While most people were preparing to celebrate Eid in Dhaka on 18 January, members of an Islamic extremist group called Harkatul Jihad were attempting to axe to death Shamshur Rahman, Bangladesh's leading poet and avowed opponent of communalism. Rahman survived, and so did his wife, who took an axe blow in the scuffle while shielding her husband. The 18 January incident at Rahman's home shook Bangla-deshis, not only because no one had really expected the poet to be marked for such an attack, but because the organisation behind it, as admitted by the police, is patronised by none else than the Afghanistan-based Saudi Arabian mafioso Osama bin Laden. The group is apparently awash with men and money and has a well-planned agenda on hand to foment violence.Now, Mufti Abdul Hannan, the leader of Harkatul Jihad, is in custody, and he is starting to reveal his government connections. Who knows where the trail will lead?Harkatul Jihad suddenly became what many political parties dream becoming-a household name. It was reported that the extremists had set up an extensive network across the country and training centres were operating in several districts to churn out various types of cadres, including of the armed variety. The thousands of religious seminaries or madrassahs (many run with government funds) were identified in the ongoing investigation as where the 'holy warriors' were springing from.
That bin Laden had a foot in the mushy soil of Bangladesh had been rumoured for months, the daily Prothom Alo reported that a number of Islamic activists had been arrested on charges of reprinting and distributing bin Laden's agitprop. A printing press was raided and 'holy war' materials, such as manuals on conducting "terrorist activities", were seized.
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 5, 2005 11:40 PM
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Comments
Hi, the daily star is not a pakistani paper + the bangladesh situation is far more complex than the standard western borne Islamist bogey argument, brought out to confirm delusions of insecurity and global importance.
We in bangladesh have a problem of criminality of leftist, rightist as well as so called islamic ideological flavouring. Interesting how its only the 'Islamic' type that is flavour of the month.
You mentioned 'Bangla Bhai', but not the context in which he was nurtured....as a reaction to very cruel brigands of communist affiliation...that nobody had the balls to face up to.
Automatically plugging into the politically interested discourse of the Opposition party isnt the way to go if we are interested in truly understanding and improving matters on the ground. the Awami league is not so innocent. Western commentators would do well to learn a little from their leaders recent experiences of the Chalabis.
In Bangladesh we are accomodating of difference, and the exceptions dont prove the rule.
The noble hardworking and spiritual Bangladeshi on the street is more at risk from lawless elements with no religious excuse.
Last thing before i leave, for the sake of justice to the subject matter, its crucial to realise the media situation in Bangladesh. The english language dailies represent a narrow commercial interest and ideological interest. We often refer to them as the Media Mafia. A similar story is true in most countries.
The content of our constitution is not the business of foreigners.
Posted by: Fuad at October 7, 2005 10:11 AM
Thank you for your input. Unfortunately issues of any country's constitution ARE foreigner's business, otherwise your country would end up like Burma (Myanmar) - totally closed to the outside world. In today's multi-media global world, no country is an island.
I take on board your comments about the Awami league, but regarding the "Media Mafia" in Britain where I write from, the issues I have written about on Bangladesh have been sidelined.
If you know of a better English language source for news on Bangladesh, I would welcome it. So far, the news which seems most objective appears to come from the Bangladesh Independent.
Posted by: Giraldus Cambrensis at October 8, 2005 7:43 AM
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