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December 23, 2005

Bangladesh: Muslim Bigots Fight With Police - 50 Injured

Yesterday and on Tuesday, we brought you the background of an ongoing dispute created by Islamic groups connected to politicians from the coalition partner in Bangladesh's government, the Islami Oikya Jote, who have been threatening the Ahmadiyya sect of Muslims.

The aim of the groups who oppose the Ahmadiyya religion is to have the faith declared "non-Muslim" by the government of Bangladesh. To achieve this aim, the demonstrators use threats of intimidation and violence against mosques and followers of the sect.

The main organisation involved in the intimidation was the Hifazate Khatme Nabuwat Andolon, also known as the International Khatme Nubuwat Movement Bangladesh (IKNMB). Following a conflict of policy in September, when one faction within IKNMB led by Mufti Noor Hossain Noorani decided to suspend activities against the Ahmadiyyas, the current actions against the sect are being led by two groups.

Khatme Nabuwat Andolon Bangladesh (KNMB) is led by Noor Hossain Noorani, while the main group, IKNMB, is led by Mahmudul Hasan Mamatazi (or M. H. Muntajir), who in September had declared Mufti Noorani as "unwanted".

The current campaign, which we announced yesterday, follows a promise or threat made at the end of September by IKNMB. This threat was that if the government did not announce the Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslim by today, 23 December, then there would be problems of unity in electoral coalitions at the next general elections, and the group would occupy the Ahmadiyya complex at Bakshibazar in Dhaka, the capital, and then would occupy all the other Ahmadiyya compexes across the country.

The Daily Star announced that the Khatme Nabuwat Andolon Bangladesh (KNMB) would be staging a "peaceful and law-abiding rally outside the complex beginning after Friday evening prayers, while the International Khatme Nabuwat Movement Bangladesh (IKNMB) would stage a dawn till asr protest following by an evening march to Dhaka Central Jail for "voluntary imprisonment."

Following the split between IKNMB and KNMB it is hard to say which group is now the dominant of the two, but most of the planning seemed to be coming from the KNMB, who promised to bring supporters from 22 of the country's 62 districts to assist in their harassment of the Ahmadiyya sect.

As I write, it is past midnight in Bangladesh, and today's protests which the KNMB promised would be peaceful and would "not violate the law" have degenerated into a riot, according to South Africa's Globe and Mail.

Protesters broke through a police cordon and police fired year gas and used batons to disperse the Islamist protesters. At least six buses were smashed, and four police were injured by the protesters, who pelted them with stones.

At least 26 thugs were detained by police, and about 50 more were injured. When the Bangladeshi press post more details, this story will be updated.

UPDATE: The Bangladesh Daily Star states that 57 people have been injured, but police did prevent marchers from reaching the Ahmadiyya's complex. The picture above shows Muslim bigots, mainly from the IKNMB, who were held at bay at the north gate of the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque, where they pelted the police with bricks and stones.

Members of the Khatme Nabuwat Andolon Bangladesh had intended to hang a sign up at the Ahmadiyya complex, stating the building was a "place of worship" and not a true mosque, and when preventing from reaching their goal, they requested the police should put up the sign. The request was not granted.

Since 1987, such activities mounted against the sect have claimed the lives of eight people. Ahmadiyya Mosque in Nakhalpara was attacked in 2003, and the resultant publicity has fed the campaign. Since then four mosques, at Chittagong, Khulna, Bogra and Patuakhali have had signs erected declaring their mosques as mere "places of worship."

The IKNMB who also staged protests against the police, have claimed that 200 of their number have been injured, and 200 more have been arrested, though the police claim to have arrested no-one.

If the police really have arrested no-one, then they are a disgrace. The pictures below, from the Bangladesh Independent's coverage of the case show, left, an injured policeman being rescued b colleagues, and right, members of IKNMB crossing a barrier to confront police.

Mufti Noor Hossain Noorani's group, the Khatme Nabuwat Andolon Bangladesh, have added two new dates to pencil into one's diary - February 10, 2006, when they intend to intimidate Ahmaddiyyas at their places of worship at Dhanikhola in Trishal in Mymensingh, and also April 17, when they plan to intimidate the sect at their mosque at Shyamnagar in Satkhira District.

The Constitution of Bangladesh is quite clear about discrimination against religious minorities in Article 28:
Discrimination on grounds of religion, etc.
(1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race caste, sex or place of birth.
(2) Women shall have equal rights with men in all spheres of the State and of public life.
(3) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth be subjected to any disability, liability, restriction or condition with regard to access to any place of public entertainment or resort, or admission to any educational institution.
(4) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making special provision in favour of women or children or for the advancement of any backward section of citizens.

We mentioned the involvement of leading members of the government coalition party Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) in the anti-Ahmidiyya movement. That such people should be allied with the government is a sad testament of the moral bankruptcy of the governing elite.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 23, 2005 3:02 PM

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