Minorities in Bangladesh –A Real fact Analysis
Bangladesh was born in 1971 premised of the secular and democratic ethos as paragraph 2 of the first constitution of Bangladesh which was adopted in November 4, 1972, accepted Nationalism, Democracy and Secularism as the state principles. But soon after its birth, the political history and politics of Bangladesh itself within the twists and turns of majoritarian politics and the situation has changed on the name of religion. Moreover, military and army backed by the government sometimes affected the democratic system in Bangladesh and its increase the corruptions and real democracy. As a result religion base party form and increase the tortured against the minority.
Through the 8th Amendment to the constitution on 7th June 1988, Islam declared as the state religion of Bangladesh (Article 2 clause A of our Constitution) with the provision that other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony. The above changes were brought about successive political regime to consolidate their power base by appealing to the sentiments of the majority. This not only transformed the political identity of the state but also created polarization in the system. Since then the minority community faces discrimination and continuous atrocities and violence as reported by many scholars and world bodies. It is also documented that the political process and the political parties were a major source of discrimination against minorities in Bangladesh.
Even since the birth of Bangladesh, the Hindu population grew the only marginality and their relative share in the total population declined considerably. According to the 2001 census, the size of Hindu population was 11.6 million which means since the past 27 years million population was added yielding a 0.6% annual average growth rate. By contrast, the Muslim population almost doubled during the same period of time and by 1.79% since 1991, whilst the relative composition of Christians and Buddhist population almost same in that period of time of Bangladesh.
Further, the Hindu population declined to 8.2 Percent in the country with annual growth rate coming down to 0.5 percent between 2001 to 2011 and it is projected that in the year 2051 the share of Hindu population will decline to 3.7 percent in Bangladesh.
Source – BBS in Bangladesh
History of aggression aligned with Hindu:
A history of blood sheet against Hindus prevailed even before independence of India and the violence against Hindus was a common phenomenon in the East Bengal and today’s Bangladesh because Hindus were historically religious minority but at the time of independence due to partition of the country, genocide against Hindus on the basis of religion was extremely high in this region. Since 1947 the violence against Hindus in then Pakistan and now Bangladesh is a continuous Phenomenon and followed religiously by the majority of Muslims irrespective of political parties. The innumerable incidence of atrocities against Hindus like killing, rape, slaughter, the forcible annexation of properties burning of houses and abduction are taking place and in the considerable number of cases, the violators are the cadres of various political parties irrespective of whether they are ruling or are in the opposition. According to an estimation, 671 persons belonging to the minority community are migrating from Bangladesh daily (Barkat, Prof of Dhaka University)
After the 1947 genocide, Hindus were persecuted the most in 1947 due to which large scale migration of Hindus to India look place. According to estimates, at the time of Bangladesh Liberation War, almost 3,000,000 Hindus were butchered in one of the biggest genocides of the century. An article in “Time” magazine dated 2nd August 1971 stated” The Hindus, who account for three- fourths of the refuges and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred (wiki-2014). According to BBC (9th March 2013) official estimates say more than three million were killed and tens thousands of women raped during the Bangladesh war of independence. The minority Hindu community suffered disproportionately because some Pakistani blamed them for Bangladesh’s secession. “Hindu Community leaders say the attacks are systematic and have been going on for years”, They say they are not only carried out by hardliner Islamizes but also by supporters of together mainstream political parties (BBC, 9th march 2013). The aim of the violence, Hindu leaders allege is to grab land and other property. As a result, they say many Hindus are fleeing to India to escape harassment, intimidation and violence (BBC, 9 marches 2013).
Many Bangladeshi Scholars like Salam Azad (Executive Director, Amity for Peace, Bangladesh) hold the view that Islam became the state religion in Bangladesh since 1982, a concept diametrically opposed to the slogans and principles on the basis of which the Bangladesh freedom movement started i.e. secularism and democracy. Consequently, the minorities particularly Hindus, have been marginalized to the extents that they became unwanted low grade citizens in their own country. In almost all of the cases, the Hindus are not getting justice from Judiciary. While depicting the plight of Hindus and exemplifying the nature of injustice. Azad says” the writ petitions made by ASK an NGO to safe guard minority rights had not been responded to Democracy without secularism has been negatively acting over freedom of the minority community . Some NGOs stood as shelter for the minorities but that too has been obstructed by creating grouping among NGOs. Rights of the citizens belonging to the minority communities are thus curtailed in the manifold ways”
Violence in Recent Year:
“We left our house in 1971 as the Pakistan army and Razakars ( Anti Independent Force in Bangladesh) set fire to our village and we are passing through the same ordeal in 2016 in NasirNagar said Minoty Rani Biswas-80 years and Amulya. There were a fake rumors regards on Roshoraj- one poor fisherman who got found is innocent. But the local few people including local UP Chairman Akhi Alamgir rumors that Roshoraj Insult Islam. Few People they did hard the name Village of Raoshoraz but due to fake face book post the people are concentrated and they burnt the 200 families. They took shelter from the authority and they make a meeting after they announce in a Mike ( sound system) to come and join the attack on Minorities Nasirnagar.
However, after the election the minorities are affecting is a common phenomenon in Bangladesh. In 2014 of Malopara at Jessore did the something the village of Abhaynagar in Jessore . After the voting ended in Bangladesh the Hindus had to face the ire of the activist of political parties. Hindu houses have been looted, vandalized and burned in several places like Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Lalminirhat, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jessore (The daily Star, January 7, 2014).According to the New Age” Miscreants attacked Hindu localities, temples and business establishments in Jessore, Sakhira, Thakurgoan, Panchgarh, Chittagong, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Netrokona and some other Districts after the national Elections (New Age- January 11, 2014).
According to the Dhaka Tribune, the Violence against Hindus in these areas erupted due to refusal by Hindus to boycott the election imposed by Jamaat- Shibir of Prembag, Chanpadanga, Bahirghat, Beledanga and some adjacent areas. The mayhem continued for two- hours by exploding 250 booms, vandalization of one hundred houses etc. The Jamat resorted to their newly adopted techniques of inciting their followers by lies. Around 4 pm, they made phone calls to their activist and students of the local Madrasa, telling them that five of their activist had been killed in a clash with Malopara villagers. Jamat- Shibir activist poured in from nearby villags- Balidanga, Jagannathpur, Deyapara, Joldanga, Basundia, Dhakuria and Bangran- and attacked Malopara ( Dhak Tribune January 7 2014).
According to reports almost five hundred Hindu families of Gopalpur village were affected in these classes and become homeless. Besides these 350 houses and 50 shops of five villages including Pritampara, Sahapara, Telipara, Madhapara and Ajoypara of Kornai village were damaged set ablaze and looted (. The Hindus were also attacked and looted in the households of goons like Satkania, Lohagora and Banshkali upazilas Kaunia Upazila of Rangpur and Nadogram upazila in Bogra. Even homestead trees-coconut were burnt or chopped down and cowsheds were burnt too, idols in the houses were vandalized. Everything else was looted.
On 29 January 2014, 20 Hindu families of Sathkhira districts got threat letters to leave Bangladesh where it has been written that “Time has come to leave your homes immediately and this time you have told nicely. But next time there will not be any niceties (Dhaka Tribune Correspondents, January 29, 2014). According to BD news 24.com (10 Jan 2014) two Hindu Housewives were sexually abused in Manirampur Upazila in Jessore in the post- Election violence against the minorities Communities. They held the men hostage and sexually abused the two housewives. The sexual abuse and rape against Hindu women is also reported ny national and international news paper like International Business Time ( Feb 19, 2014)
Temple Destroy:
A large number of Hindu temples are also burnt vandalized and looted frequently. According to reports the kali temple at Naryanpur village under Ramganj in Lakhsmipr, satdoha, langta babar Ashram and Shir Radha- Gobindra Mandir were either looted or torched (New Age, January 2014)T Beside this, the akali temple at Battola and Kachubunia and Joypurhat ( Jan 9, 2014). But according to international Business Times (Feb 2014). At least two dozen people were killed in the violence. According to itteffaq. The hindu houses were set on fire in the Boalia village of Sukh Union, Kushba union of joypurhat, kuptola union of Gaibandha Lalmonirhat and Senpara of Shafinagar, Satkania, Loahagara and Banshkhali Upazila and man of the Hindus are injured due to the violence against Them.
After this wide spread violence against Hindus after the general election, the violence is continuing and a recent incident on may 5th May 2014 nearly 3000 attached Hindu homestead s and a temple is esteem Bangladesh after two youths from the community allegedly insulted the Prophet Mohammed on face book at Homna in comilla district about 100 km south East of Dhaka .
Minorities Hindus are attacked again and again in Bangladesh on false rumors of defaming Muhammad in face book. In most of the cases, it is established that rumors of blasphemy or the defamation of Muhammad, the Islamic goons attack Hindus, Hindu – households, temples and specially the women folk. Most of the News Paper reported that almost all the violence and attacks on Hindus in 2014 were initiated by the activities or numbers of political parties and its students wings of Bangladesh Nationalist Parties.
The year 2013 also with messed a large scale and widespread violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. ALL forms of violence triggered against minority Hindu on 28th February 2013, on behalf of Jammat- E –islami and its students wing after the death sentence of delowyer Hossain Saydee, The Vice President of the Jammat – E Islami and the International crime Tribunal and the government gave him life in Prison. The follower of Jamat and others parties are taking advantages to captured and tortured the Hindus. The leaflet was circulating that Saydee got punishment because of you and you cannot stay in this country.
Even after these wide spread violence the attack against Hindus continued for the whole year. On November 3, 2013 Bonogram bazaar in Santhia Upazila about 40 kilometers from Pabna sadar, the Hindus were attacked. A Hindu boy was attacked and his house was burnt on the false allegation of mailing Prophet Mohammed ( The Daily Star Novermber,21, 2013). In another incident, a group of masked criminals attacked 18 shops belonging to members of the Hindu Community in a rural area in the District Lalmonirhat. The attack was allegedly launched by the political parties and its crucial alley. Along to the Hindu Community Leader s, more than 50 Hindu Temples and more than 1500 Hindu homes were destroyed in 20 districts in 2013 alone. The president of the Bangladesh Hindu Boddho Christian Unity Council Said” Conspirators are out to create a situation so that the Hindus can be attacked” Indentifying the situation, Transparency International Bangladesh, a body of the Berlin –based Transparency International Says “Onslaughts and intimidation on minorities for ill and destructive political Purpose before the election are not acceptable ( Atesto institute , November 21, 2013)
Underlying Cause of Violence:
The larger objective of these kinds of violence and attack is to grab the land of Hindus. According to Jyotrirmon Barua a Supreme Court Lawyer in the capital of Dhaka. “When we say it’s Just political, it legitimizes the violence, Most of the people’s houses they are burning are poor. If you burn their houses, they will leave the country and you get their land. “The vested Property Act remained in force until 2001, allowing the government to expropriate “Enemy” ( In practice in Hindu) lands. Over the course of its existence, the government seized approximately 2.6 million areas of land, affecting almost all Hindus continued efforts to recover land lost under the act. The vested Properties Return (Amendment) bill of 2011 obligates the government to publish lists of returnable vested property through gazette notification within 120 days. Subsequently, Hindu leaders submitted applications to reclaim previously seized vested property and requested an extension to prepare further applications. The vested property return (Second Amendment) act of 2012 passed on September 18, gives an additional 180 days for interested parties to submit applications for adjudications (IRER, 2012) but in practical these return act has not been enforced property. According to Barkat et al (2008) , in most of the cases, the beneficiaries of these vested properties are the influential political parties people of different areas across political parties.
According to Jyotrimor Barua “ The violence isn’t just Perpetrators by Jamat- E Islami. In other words, opportunistic leaders have been accused of using communal sentiments to enrich themselves” in some constituencies, all the parties are tussling from the same groups of voters- if anyone loss, he blames the HINDUS. (Time January 14, 2014)
Conclusion:
The violence against Hindus in Bangladesh is a part and result of wider religious intolerance spread Hindus in the country is not the only cause to be believed. The economic and political aspect of violence in a wider prospect of neighborhood studies is required to understand the phenomenon of Hindu subjugation in the country. There is a great possibility of underreporting of actual intensity of the violence and oppression if we critically analyze the political, social and democratic situation prevailing and the status of media in Bangladesh over the last 42 years. Whatever may be the causes of the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, but it is clear that almost all the political parties of Bangladesh are trying to derive political mileage from the plight of Hindus. Besides, draconian laws like vested property act is a useful instrument to grab Hindu land holdings by the majority Muslim community. In the absence of any major economic opportunities, agriculture land is the only economic resource for which there is a lot of competition to grab and successive governments played an instrumental role in grabbing Hindu land to satisfy the majority influential community. Most of the Hindu holds the view that land is the major reason for which they have been attacked historically. Being one of the influential countries in the south Asian region, India should try to influence Bangladeshi authorities to save the Hindu Minorities Hindus in Bangladesh. When there is already a world opinion on the issue, India and Hindus in rest of the world need intensify their campaign for safeguards of Minorities rights In Bangladesh.
