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Saturday, April 23, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Human rights in Bangladesh, 2010



Human rights in Bangladesh, 2010

The US State Department's annual report on human rights says this about the state of rights in Bangladesh in 2010:

Security forces committed extrajudicial killings and were responsible for custodial deaths, torture, and arbitrary arrest and detention. The failure to investigate fully extrajudicial killings by security forces, including several deaths in custody of alleged criminals detained by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), remained a matter of serious concern. Some members of the security forces acted with impunity. Prison conditions at times were life-threatening, lengthy pretrial detention continued to be a problem, and authorities infringed on citizens' privacy rights. An increasingly politicized judiciary exacerbated problems in an already overwhelmed judicial system and constrained access to justice for members of opposition parties. The government limited freedom of speech and of the press, self-censorship continued, and security forces harassed journalists. The government curbed freedom of assembly, and politically motivated violence remained a problem. Official corruption and related impunity continued. Discrimination against women, and violence against women and children remained serious problems, as did discrimination against persons with disabilities and against persons based on their sexual orientation. Trafficking in persons remained a serious problem. Violence against religious and ethnic minorities still occurred, although many government and civil society leaders stated that these acts often had political or economic motivations and could not be attributed only to religious belief or affiliation. Limits on worker rights and child labor remained problems.

The full report is here: http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/sca/154478.htm

The government dismissed the report — apparently it wasn't researched properly.  The Foreign Minister said: Bangladesh is a democratic non-communal state and has been elected twice to the UN Human Rights Council for its positive track records of human rights.  Somebody should tell her that Qaddafi's Libya was also a member of UN Human Rights Council.

I anticipate some people asking 'who is the US to lecture about human rights given their own actions'.  My response is that it is the wrong question to ask.  If you are sincere about human rights, then instead of going on an anti-American tirade, you should be analysing the content of the report, and hold the people running the country to account.



http://unheardvoice.net/blog/2011/04/23/human-rights-in-bangladesh-2010/


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[ALOCHONA] DUET student expelled for objectionable remark on PM in facebook

To All:

"A student of Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology was today expelled for one year for making objectionable remark in the website face-book on the family of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."

Please go the following weblink for detail news:
http://bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidDate=2011-04-23&hidType=TOP&hidRecord=0000000000000000353463

Thanks,

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[ALOCHONA] Shot Into Disability By Rab :No case filed yet



Shot Into Disability By Rab :No case filed yet

Family of victim tells of threat calls

Limon Hossain

The Rapid Action Battalion is still trying to establish Limon Hossain as a criminal although the force's chief had admitted that the 16-year-old is a victim, not a law breaker."

"The Rab sources in our area are intimidating those villagers who told the media that my son is innocent to leave the locality," claimed Limon's father at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

Meanwhile, police are yet to register any case in connection with the Rab shootout after 13 days into a court order to do so.Rajapur police are showing excuses one after another for not registering the case, said Limon's mother Henuara Begum."When I went to Rajapur Police Station last week to check whether they have recorded my case, police drove me out of the station questioning my knowledge to challenge Rab," she alleged.

Rab shot college student Limon, of Chhaturia village in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi, in the left leg on March 23 when he was bringing cattle home in the afternoon. His leg had to be amputated from the thigh four days later.

Limon's family yesterday alleged that on Friday, Rab sources called over phone and threatened of destroying the whole family if they continued pressing for trial of the Rab men who shot the boy."The caller said if we did not stop going to the police station they would make our lives hell," said Limon's father Tofazzal Hossain.

A week ago, some Rab sources threatened that they would cripple Limon's elder brother Hemayet Hossain Suman, who is going to sit for the Bachelor of Arts examination in a few months."Fish trader Ayub Ali Jomaddar has already left the village fearing consequences," Tofazzal said.

Limon's family fear that the Rab men are doing this to keep villagers from testifying against them in the court."When police dare not to record the case against Rab ignoring court order, do you think our poor neighbours would dare to go to the court and speak the truth after all these?" Limon's mother threw the question at the press conference.The family demanded immediate arrest of the people who are intimidating them and the villagers.

On April 10, Limon's mother filed a case with a Jhalakathi court against six Rab members -- Deputy Assistant Director of Rab-8 Md Lutfor Rahman, Corporal Md Mazharul Islam, constable Md Abdul Aziz, Nayek Moktadir Hossain, Nayek Prahallad Chandra and soldier Kartik Kumar Biswas.Hearing the petition, the court on that day directed the officer-in-charge (OC) of Rajapur Police Station to register the complaint as a regular case.The OC earlier tried to avoid the responsibility saying that he was on leave twice since then while the duty officer told The Daily Star three days ago that they would record a case after investigating the allegation.

Referring to the home minister's recent statement that six committees are probing the incident, she said only one committee has so far visited the area."They talked with some people who live four to five kilometres from our house," Tofazzal said.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=182927


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[ALOCHONA] The State Of Human Rights in Bangladesh



The State Of Human Rights in Bangladesh

By Dr. K. M. A. Malik

Introduction

Gross violations of human rights can be found in third world states, many or most of which are ruled by military and family dictatorships or pseudo-democratic, autocratic regimes, and some under foreign occupation. There is hardly any respect for democratic practices, mutual tolerance and equal rights of others with different colour, belief, culture or ethnicity.

The leaders of these societies/countries are mostly corrupt and morally bankrupt and possessed with unlimited greed for power and money. They lack transparency and accountability in their actions and governance. This is true in many countries including Bangladesh .

Bangladesh Scene

The worst forms of human rights violations such as unlawful torture and killings, abduction, rape and other violent crimes happened during the war of liberation in 1971 (perpetrated mostly by the Pakistani army but also by some Bengali elements, estimated 1 million deaths). Lack of proper democracy and propensity for authoritarianism (during periods of both civil and military regimes) resulted in human rights abuses in varying degrees at different times. Unfortunately, no regime in power since 1972 has ever acknowledged its responsibility in this regard, and very little has been done to stop these practices.

In recent years, the human rights situation in Bangladesh has deteriorated to an alarming stage. People are concerned specially by the denial mode of the present Awami League (AL) government and their inability or inaction to prevent or reduce the instances of human rights violations. Most worrisome is the justification by some ministers and leading politicians of the ruling party for suppressing opposition political views and media freedom.

Extra-judicial killings [1]

During Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rule (2001-6), Bangladesh Awami League (AL) as the main opposition party criticized, very rightly, the culture of extra-judicial killings by law enforcing agencies including the special crime fighting force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) formed in 2004. Before 2008 elections, AL promised to stop such unlawful killings. Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni made commitments of 'zero tolerance' regarding this type of killings in different international forums including the Human Rights Council (March 01, 2010; May 12, 2009) and the Universal Periodic Review Session (UPR) in Geneva (February 2009).

But these commitments were never fulfilled. Unlawful killings have continued unabated. The victims are suspected 'criminals', members of the radical left political parties, or simply innocent people, all killed without the due process of law.

According to Odhikar (a non-profit human rights organization) report [2], 127 people were killed extra-judicially in 2010. Of those 127 killed in this year, 1 was a BNP activist, 2 belonged to the Islami Chattra Shibir; 1 an expelled AL leader, 33 from radical left parties, 3 small business men, 2 drivers, 1 street sweeper, 2 farmers, 1 rickshaw puller, 3 workers, 1 night guard, 2 detainees, 1 hospital employee, 9 youths, 1 father of an alleged drug peddler, 64 alleged criminals. The figure includes only the reported number of those killed in the so-called 'crossfire' as well as those tortured to death and custodial killings. But it does not include custodial deaths, where the causes of deaths remain uncertain.

According to 'Law and Salish Centre', another human rights forum, during January – December, 2009, total 229 persons were killed by crossfire. 'Odhikar' put the number of extra-judicial killings at 154 for the same period. Of these, 35 were killed in custody. The number given by 'Odhikar' is lower than that cited by the 'Law and Salish Centre', but the exact figure, probably much higher than those reported in the media, may never be known. A large number of detainees and prisoners die due to torture during interrogations, but the official version for such death is 'heart attack', 'suicide' or similar causes!

Custodial torture and deaths

National and international laws prohibit the use of intimidation, mental and physical torture of any detainee or prisoner by the state agencies. But in Bangladesh , like other third world countries, inflicting different kinds of mental and physical torture is a routine procedure to extract information from the accused persons in detention. In some cases, the victims simply 'disappear' [3].

The practice of custodial torture and unlawful killings started in the country during the first AL regime (1972-75) and has continued unabated till today. It reached a tragic stage during the army-led emergency regime (2007-2008), when hundreds of top political leaders and businessmen were mentally and physically tortured in detention and jailed after sham trials. Serious physical injuries were inflicted by torture on many leading politicians including Tareq Rahman, senior Secretary General of the opposition BNP party. More than 70,000 political workers at grass-root levels were thrown into prison without any concrete charges. Due process of law was denied to them.

Odhikar compiled a report (from print media) with 68 proven cases of custodial torture during 2009. Despite denial by the authorities, it is a common knowledge that those who are supposed to uphold the law are often themselves the violators.

Case of Mahmudur Rahman [4]

The practice of custodial torture and barbaric treatment of prisoners and detainees has been highlighted recently by Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of the Bengali daily Amar Desh, in a series of articles. Mr. Rahman was targeted by the government for vendetta and revenge for publishing a report on the alleged corruption by some government leaders including the prime minister's son, Sajib Wajad Joy. He was arrested without warrant in June last year, interrogated under remand and put into prison. He was seriously tortured both physically and mentally. The case aroused nationwide protests and condemnation. Mr. Rahman was released from prison on March 17, 2011 , but there are still dozens of false cases against him.

Deaths of BDR prisoners in custody

In the aftermath of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) rebellion on February 25-26 in 2009, thousands of BDR personnel were detained for interrogation and trial. Many of those prisoners met with 'unnatural deaths' while in custody. According to informed sources, some key witnesses simply 'disappeared'. The number of deaths cited earlier does not include the custodial deaths of BDR prisoners. According to Odhikar [2], a total of 51 BDR members died during February to 31 December, 2009 . Among them, 26 BDR members died while in custody, of which 6 have allegedly died due to torture. Some sources suggest that the 'unnatural deaths' of BDR members in custody were close to 100. We do not know exactly how many of the thousands of detainees were illegally tortured, but considering the culture of barbaric torture of our 'crime investigators', one may presume that the number would run into hundreds, if not thousands. Allegations of serious torture to extract confessional statements have been made.

Violations of Women's rights

Custodial torture, rape, acid violence and dowry related violence

Treatment of women prisoners are even worse than that meted out to male prisoners. There is no reliable statistics on the number of women prisoners and the number abused while in custody. They are probably supposed not to exist in our society. However, it is widely known that common abuses to women prisoners involve the denial of food and bed, and on many occasions, rape, especially to women from poor sections of the society. Many are held in prison without any concrete charges or trial for months and years, under sub-human conditions. In recent years, high profile women prisoners including the family members of some leading political figures were ill-treated in prison and many were denied bails pending trial.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) - A New Rakkhi Bahini?

It has become quite obvious during the last six years of RAB's operations that the some members of the force have been responsible for serious abuses of human rights. Compared with the earlier BNP regime, it became more powerful and desperate in its acts during the army-led Care Taker Government (CTG). The present AL government seems to be more dependent on RAB for not only crime fighting but also for suppressing opposition political forces and dissenting voices.

There is a growing suspicion in the country that the present government wants to remodel this force after the 'Rakkhi Banini' that existed during 1972-75 [5]. This Bahini was formed as the main security arm of the then AL government (under the supervision of a top Indian army officer). It recruited only the AL party loyalists and was given more power and authority than the regular police, army and other security forces. They engaged in indiscriminate murders and torture of thousands of political opponents and became a dreaded force (like death squads in Latin America ). Rakkhi Bahini was disbanded after the change of government in August 1975.

It is perhaps too early to say if the AL government really wants to recruit more party loyalists and cadres to remodel RAB after 'Rakkhi Bahini' or not. What is evident, however, that the culture of extrajudicial killings and custodial torture, disregard for acting within the framework law and acting as an instrument of the ruling party are facing increasing criticisms not only from the human rights defenders inside, but also from concerned persons and organizations abroad. International human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have expressed deep concerns about the ongoing violations of human rights by different organs of Bangladesh state including extrajudicial killings and suppression of opposition.

Mr. Abbas Faiz, South Asia researcher for Amnesty International, Lord Eric Avebury of the UK House of Lords, Brad Adams of Human Rights Watch raised this and several other issues with prime minister Sheikh Hasina during her recent UK visit [6] .

RAB - the British/US/India connections

It was suspected from the very beginning that one of main purposes for the formation of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) (apart from ordinary crime fighting) was to 'eliminate' the threats posed by various left radical groups operating in the western districts and also by the so-called Islamic militants. There are reasons to believe that the force had also the blessings of some foreign powers ( USA , UK , India ). The challenges coming from the extreme left and extreme right forces are also said to threaten Indian security. While the ambassadors and policymakers of these countries make daily public comments on smaller issues in Bangladesh , they have hardly 'advised' any government since 2004 (BNP/CTG/AL) to stop unlawful killings and custodial torture by RAB. The first prominent victim of RAB's unlawful killing during the present AL government was the leftist ideologue Mr. Mufakkarul Islam Chowdhury who was arrested unarmed and killed in a so-called 'crossfire'.

In fact, the links of the USA , UK and India to RAB are no longer secret. The rulers of all these countries are obsessed with the potential threat of 'Islamic terrorism' in Bangladesh and as revealed in WeakiLeaks cables, they consider RAB as a potential counter-terrorism ally [7]. Wikileaks disclosures have also revealed that the USA wanted RAB to become 'Bangladeshi FBI' and that that they were providing training to Bangladesh security forces on interrogation techniques. The EU proposal for a 'Counter-Terrorism Training Centre' in Dhaka to 'fight terrorism in the region' indicates deep western (and Indian-Israeli) involvement.

A Guardian report on January 17, 2011 [8] revealed that the " UK authorities passed information about British nationals to notorious Bangladeshi intelligence agencies and police units, then pressed for information while the men were being held at a secret interrogation centre where inmates are known to have died under torture ."

According to this report, "a number of the British suspects were taken to the secret interrogation centre, known as the Task Force for Interrogation cell (TFI) . The location of the TFI and the methods employed by those who work there became clear during the Guardian investigation, with both former inmates and intelligence officials speaking out about its operations.

"Faisal Mostafa, from Manchester , was taken to the TFI after Smith's visit to Dhaka (2008) and is alleged to have been forced to stand upright for the first six days of his incarceration, with his wrists shackled to bars above his head. He is then alleged to have then been beaten and subjected to electric shocks while being questioned about Bangladeshi associates. At the point at which he was to be questioned about his associates and activities in the UK , he is said to have been blindfolded and strapped to a chair while a drill was slowly driven into his right shoulder and hip."

Following this and several other reports published recently in the Guardian and other media on the collaborations of the UK authorities with the Bangladesh security forces on detention and torture are being questioned by human rights defenders across the world.

According to a UNB report (January 6, 2011) Phil Shiner, a human rights lawyer in Britain, has called for a UK-led international inquiry into the activities of RAB to uncover the truth behind RAB's highly dubious human rights record [9] . "If it is found that RAB consistently violated these rights in carrying out their operations, the UK government can be dissuaded from providing the training and support facilities that it has been to RAB over the last three years, as revealed in US embassy cables relating to Bangladesh released by whistleblower site WikiLeaks."

Phil Shiner described RAB as a reckless, Latin American-style "death squad", as described in a damaging report published in the Guardian, on December 23, 2010 . He further said, "all states owe duties to each other to cooperate and uncover RAB's activities, and to bring all unlawful activities, including of executions, to an immediate end."

Dubious role of the government

The government position on the issue seems to be dubious, to say the least. The home minister Ms Sahara Khatum denies about the existence of extra-judicial killings and custodial torture, whilst some other ministers have condoned the law enforcers' actions as 'acts of self-defence'. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remained silent on extrajudicial killings and custodial for a long time, only last week while visiting London , she said that her government is trying to reduce such practices. The fact, however, remains that her government has been ignoring or violating an earlier High Court order to completely stop extrajudicial killings and custodial torture by the security forces.

Indo-Bangladesh border – South Asian Killing Fields

One of the most significant but least discussed violations of human rights of Bangladeshi (some Indian) citizens occurs along the India-Bangladesh border. Mainstream media including the TV channels and most of the otherwise outspoken members of the so-called 'civil society' in Bangladesh remain mostly silent on the barbaric 'shoot-to-kill' practices of India 's BSF along the border.

The problems along the border are not something new. There are cross-border movements of people living in the border area, without permission. These movements are of course illegal, and anybody doing this may be arrested, but the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) adopts a 'shoot-to-kill' policy. This has resulted in regular and systematic violations of human rights for hundreds of Bangladeshi and also of some Indian citizens.

The problems along the India-Bangladesh border and India 's barbed wire fence to prevent illegal cross-border movement of people and goods have been discussed in many media reports [9-11]. Different human rights organizations including Odhikar compile annual report on the number of people who become victims of BSF atrocities. According to Odhikar, 158 Bangladeshi citizens were killed, wounded, or otherwise harmed by the BSF and in a few cases by Indian citizens in 2010. During the last 10 years, the number of such victims is more than a thousand.

India 's inhuman policy of killing unarmed Bangladeshis along the border was highlighted by Brad Adams, the Asia director of Human Rights Watch, in an article in the Guardian on January 23, 2011 [9] . The following extracts from this article would illustrate the point.

"Over the past 10 years Indian security forces have killed almost 1,000 people, mostly Bangladeshis, turning the border area into south Asian killing fields. No one has been prosecuted for any of these killings, in spite of evidence in many cases that makes it clear the killings were in cold blood against unarmed and defenceless local residents.

"Shockingly, some Indian officials endorse shooting people who attempt to cross the border illegally, even if they are unarmed. Almost as shocking is the lack of interest in these killings by foreign governments who claim to be concerned with human rights. A single killing by US law enforcement along the Mexican border makes headlines. The killing of large numbers of villagers by Indian forces has been almost entirely ignored.

" India has the right to impose border controls. But India does not have the right to use lethal force except where strictly necessary to protect life. Yet some Indian officials openly admit that unarmed civilians are being killed. The head of the BSF, Raman Srivastava, says that people should not feel sorry for the victims, claiming that since these individuals were illegally entering Indian territory , often at night, they were "not innocent" and therefore were a legitimate target."

One very callous and cruel atrocity happened in the border area (Kurigram district) on January 7, 2011 . A 15 year poor girl (named Felani) was caught in the barbed wire fence while crossing the border; BSF shot her in cold blood and kept the dead body hanging on the barbed wire for five hours. The incident has been heavily condemned in both India and Bangladesh .

The incident aroused so much indignation and condemnation that the BSF DG was obliged to express sorrow with a promise that such killings would not happen again. Senior leaders of the AL government including the home minister and prime minister use most of their time to criticize the opposition political parties but remain totally silent about the border killings by BSF. The home minister is on record to say that she would request the BSF to use 'rubber bullets' instead of live ammunitions to shoot at the people along the border!

Suppression of political opposition

The AL government is nominally democratic but it has narrowed down the space for political opposition by denying the rights of peaceful protests and public meetings. Thousands of criminal cases have been filed against opposition political leaders and workers. Last year former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was evicted from her residence. The national parliament has become a one-party show, a place for condemning the opposition for all failures of administration and governance. No issue of national importance is discussed in the parliament. The main agenda of the government seems to erase the name of former President and founder of BNP, Ziaur Rahman, from history and denigrate his legacy.

Attack on media, freedom of thought, expression and of speech:

In Bangladesh , in 2010, freedom of thought and conscience, and of free speech deteriorated significantly. Attacks on journalists, the press, newspapers, television increased.

1 . According to Odhikar, a total of 04 journalists were killed, 118 injured, 49 threatened, 43 assaulted and 17 attacked (total 231) during 2010. Details can be found in the Odhikar report. A Mass Line Media Centre report quoted in the daily Star says that in 2010, 5 journalists were killed, 124 were assaulted while on duty, 112 after publishing report and 99 out of vengeance.

2. The opposition newspaper Amar Desh was closed down and its editor Mahmudur Rahman was arrested during June1-2, 2010. Earlier on June 1, 2010 the publisher of the newspaper, Md. Hashmat Ali, was picked up from his residence by the members of the National Security Intelligence (NSI) and was forced to sign some blank papers. Mahmudur Rahman was tortured physically and mentally while in remand. He was released from prison in February 17, 2011 , but dozens of false cases have been filed against him.

3. On April 27, 2010 , a leading television channel, Channel-1 was shut down.

4. The photo-exhibition titled 'Crossfire' organised by Drik Gallery, was shut down about an hour before it was due to be opened on March 22, 2010 .

5. The government of Bangladesh blocked access to Facebook on May 29, 2010 for uploading some satirical images of sole leaders and also for uploading the Anisuzzaman Enquiry Report on the BDR massacre which mentioned the names of some AL leaders.

6 . T he private TV station 'Banglavishion' was compelled to take off the air a programme on the life style of a hangman, a convicted prisoner, who got 18 months' off for working as a hangman.

7. 'Unfriendly' media outlets are regularly intimidated and threatened for any criticism of the government. The editor car of Nurul Kabir, editor of New Age, was attacked by some ruling party thugs.

8. The ruling party hooligans attacked the national Press Club after the pro-government candidates failed to win its elections.

In the election manifesto of Awami League-2008, the government party promised that it would ensure the freedom of all types of mass media and flow of information. Despite having a law on right to information in place, one of Prime Minister's unelected Advisers said on September 20, 2010 , that the government is not bound to give information to the journalists. Commerce Minister Faruk Khan even accused the journalists for publishing 'false' reports against the government. There is no information and public discussion about dozens of treaties and agreements signed with India and with other countries and organizations that affect the vital national interests.

Failure of the Judiciary

Judiciary has been formally separated from the executive, but has still to act independently without manipulation and control by the government and the powerful.

Filing of cases against Dr. Yunus on flimsy ground has been criticized even in international media. Cases were filed against some leading figures in Transparency International for reporting on the corrupt practices in various departments of the government including Judiciary and Police.

Thousands of cases against the ruling party members (some of them facing serious charges of corruption and violent crimes) have been withdrawn by the government, while thousands of opposition members (belonging to BNP and Jamat) are facing hundreds of various charges. Personal vendetta and jealousy are said to motivate Sheikh Hasina to use the state machineries to file dozens of cases against Dr. Yunus, Khaleda Zia, and hundreds of other leaders and activists of the opposition camp. Anybody criticizing the Hasina family or India is selected as special target for harassment and intimidation violating all democratic rights, practices and norms.

Government measures and legal system have failed very miserably to ensure justice for the poor and their children, for ethnic and religious minorities, for the workers in general, but women and child labourers in particular. Trade union rights of industrial workers are restricted and sometimes their wages are withheld. 2010 witnessed a sharp rise in incidents of harassment and physical abuse of young women and girls, mostly by ruling party youths.

The investigative process and framing of charges are often influenced by government interference or due to corrupt practices. Instances of appointing judges based on party loyalty, not on merit, have resulted in the lack of transparency and fall in public confidence and respect for the justice system.

In all, 2010 has been a year of serious human rights abuses, which cover all the sectors of human rights – social, political, economic and cultural. Lack of accountability and acts of impunity persisted and prevented the redress of such violations.

Notes and references:

[1] Extra-judicial Killings and Custodial Torture: From 'Cross-fire' to 'Death-squad',

by K. M. A. Malik, Bangla Mirror, May 21 and 28, 2010

http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=318941

[2] Human Rights Report Bangladesh 2010, January 1, 2011 .

[3] http://www.weeklyholiday.net/2011/010411/edit.html

[4] During 192-75, about 30,000 people belonging to the then opposition Jatio Samajtantric Dal (JSD) and other left groups were killed by police and Rakkhi Banini. The leftist leader Siraj Sikder was brutally killed in police custody.

[5] Suppressing media freedom: War on Amar Desh and Mahmudur Rahman

by K. M. A. Malik, http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=321781

http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/article.php?ID=2922

http://www.countercurrents.org/malik110610.htm

[6] Meeting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, by Abbas Faiz

http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=347520

[7] WikiLeaks reveals Rab's image abroad, by Emran Hossain http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=167076 , December 23, 2010. [8] UK linked to notorious Bangladesh torture centre by Ian Cobain and Fariha Karim

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jan/17/uk-link-bangladesh-torture-centre.

[9] http://www.unbconnect.com/component/news/task-show/format-wap/id-38618

[10] India'a 'barbed wire fence' around Bangladesh b y K. M. A. Malik, Bangla Mirror, January 20, 27, February 3, 10, 2006.

[11] India 's shoot-to-kill policy on Bangladesh borders, b y Brad Adams, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2011/jan/23/india-bangladesh-border-shoot-to-kill-policy.

[12] Felani's last steps : India 's shoot-to-kill policy claims one more innocent

http://www.economist.com/node/18073333?story_id=18073333 , February 3, 2011.

[ Dr. K. M. A. Malik is an academic, author, columnist and human rights campaigner, and Chair of Centre for Research and Strategy. He lives in Cardiff , UK , and may be contacted via e-mail: kmamalik@aol.com . This essay is based on a talk at Kings College , University of London , in February, 2011].

http://www.countercurrents.org/malik230411.htm


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Re: [ALOCHONA] Amartya Sen on religion



Alhamdulillah!

This mail contains true peaceful spirit of Islam. Enjoyed reading it.



If it had been Allah.s plan, they would not have taken false gods: but We made thee NOT one to watch over their doings, nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs.
 
Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did.





-----Original Message-----
From: Mohd. Haque <haquetm83@yahoo.com>
To: alochona <alochona@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: history_islam <history_islam@yahoogroups.com>; diagnose <diagnose@yahoogroups.com>; reform-bd <reform-bd@yahoogroups.com>; bdresearchers <bdresearchers@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sat, Apr 23, 2011 4:56 pm
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Amartya Sen on religion

 
Dear Brothers in Islam,
 There is no point arguing what Amartya Sen or Emperor Akbar said on Islam. They have their own reason for maligning other religion. Any human with good humility and respect for others would never engage in demeaning other's faith.
Amartya Sen is an economist, the book that earned him the accolade most of us have read it, we also watched Satyajid Ray's movie on that famine, also seen the famine in 74 and for each of us things and issues are perceived  in very different ways yet we do not challenge. What Jeoffrey Sachs says about AS's book quite opposite and India itself the proof, 60 years of its 'democracy' miserably failed to graduate its teeming millions from subsistence to middle class, we are not economists we are not in a contesting positions. Let another economist, social scientist do the job. We are ordinary, we only want to live in a congenial and accommodating society, hostile element to our culture and belief can not be our part.
While they are so opposed to Islam they never speak of any other religion, is secularism only applies to Islam? And how Islam is found as hostile to secularism! Minority or non Muslim had every right to the state, they were well protected even till 12 century (think of Jews in Spain). Mohammad Bin Abdullah (PBUH) did not select his heir neither did the four Caliphs picked some one of their own without a consultative body (shoura). State and religion was separate and majority's  rule was there- and that was democracy, much before Abraham Lincoln or Jeorge Washington.
Today's Muslim King, Sultan who appears as despots and Christian kings of medieval period can not be the example of either religion in their true spirits. Though all the Christian majority countries have all their fundamental belief system instituted in the state and cultural and social affairs even in their politics. Canterbury priest can inaugurate the parliament, Barack Hossain Obama take oath twice because the priest could not pronounce the verses from Bible correctly these and many rituals done everyday by the state never appears as contradictory to those who try to tell us they are only human being and want to not only curtail but demean my faith. They are basically criminals with super imposed characteristics of hating fellow human who happens to have a particular faith. This is my humble understanding. When worse catastrophe befalls and corruptions induced by their peer they never bothered to open their mouth to save or stand by the millions.
Who talks loudly and make lot of noise on secularism found to be dead against only Islam and today mostly in our part of the world they belong to a particular party. One can notice the similarity in their thinking patterns, what ever the leader says they all say the same thing including issues on Dr. Yunus (one can easily notice that in this blog as well). They are not normal human, they are special.
Einstein believed in God, I believe in my creator and His purpose of my creation. Einstein did not attend the church but I do pray five times to satisfy my creator. I only submit to Him the way he asked and ordained which I take from His book and that is my faith, my belief and I do not come on other's way. They should leave me alone too and let me do what is pleasant to me as long as it does not come in their way, it is so simple, yet great. One should believe in his/her sovereignty and independence.
I have no problem distributing new cloths during Durga Puja following Omar Bin Khattab's sunnah to respect my dead father who had some hindu acquaintances who used to call him 'dad' so their children deserves what Omar has done to his father's friend. I am pleased to spent my heard earned resources in this way only to please my creator.  As I have learnt from the book and examples from Sunnah I do not disrespect disciples from other faith and by all means I will stand by and uphold my religion – Islam in my capacity.
I can not make much distinction among Ben Ali and Swiss or France's democracy in terms of their dealing with Abrahamic faith, I only pity them who speak ill of my religion yet  wish them peace.
Thanks.

--- On Wed, 6/4/11, Faruque Alamgir <faruquealamgir@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Faruque Alamgir <faruquealamgir@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Amartya Sen on religion
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com, "wideminds" <WideMinds@yahoogroups.com>, "dahuk" <dahuk@yahoogroups.com>, notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com, "Sonar Bangladesh" <sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com>, "Amra Bangladesi" <amra-bangladesi@yahoogroups.com>, "alapon alapon" <alapon@yahoogroups.com>, "ovimot yahoogroups" <Ovimot@yahoogroups.com>, serajurrahman@btinternet.com, farhadmazhar@hotmail.com, zoglul@hotmail.co.uk, "Bangla Zindabad" <Bangladesh-Zindabad@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: "Isha Khan" <bd_mailer@yahoo.com>
Date: Wednesday, 6 April, 2011, 3:56 PM

 
Friends
 
It is an established fact that  literate(fools) and illiterate Hindus are by born against ISLAM. The reason being the wide acceptance of the basic human principles of ISLAM which caters the need of day to day life of an individual irrespective of social standing or society and the whole nation and the globe as well. It strictly teaches n instructs it's followers not to be blind and die hard and be harsh against other believers of faiths and rather respect them with right dignity.  But the followers of the HINDUISM on getting any opportunity to undermine any religion specially ISLAM they do not leave any stone unturned to defame, denigrate the religion as well it's followers. Dada Amartya is no exception.
 
As Dada Amartya was well received by the PM and BAL to undermine our great son Md. Yunus, so, he is taking opportunity to set their vicious black teeth against ISLAM and high light their religion HINDUISM which in fact preachers hatred and discriminate amongst people of the tribe just due to birth by the class distinctively made by the so-called brute upper class Brahmins to squeeze the lower class forever.
 
Amartya dada is no different than literate(fools) and at last joined the queue of the ignorant fascist fundamentalist HINDUS and so-called secular K.Jibis supporting  the rubbish bull shit so-called religion created by Akbar
It is doubtful whether an warrior like Akbar that he had so much time and prudence (since he was an illiterate person + busy day in n day out to face war) to write such an attractive treatise to allure people out  from an established and respected religion ISLAM. Some say that it was Akbar's one type of diplomatic endeavour to appease the majority HINDUS of then INDIA to come and rally behind him since he showed that he has left ISLAM and believes in faith other than ISLAM. This he has done with the intention that HINDUS will support him since they(HINDUS) were die hard against ISLAM considering Muslims are invaders.
 
One wonders looking at the insular fundamentalist attitude of the  Noble Laureate Amartya who is suppose to uphold the cause of the people to unite n have solidarity instead he is echoing the sentiments of the blood sucker Bal Thakre/ Adbhani who has strictly asked the Muslims of the secular(???) HINDU  STAAN either become HINDU or leave HINDU STAAAN. What a tragedy of down grading in thinking of the world famous celebrity. Then what is the difference between him and the blood monger HINDU fundamentalist  in secular HINDU STAAAN.
 
The conscious people who had some iota of respect for the Noble Laureate  feels very frustrated and shocked observing the insular fundamentalist face. So, it is clear that how much a HINDUSTANI talks and claims to be so-called secular overtly but in fact they do neither believe nor practices the same. At the back of their mind they have hatred against MUSLIMS and wishes to subjugate them as well followers of other religious faith within their jurisdiction.
 
Conscious people should reject  Dada Amartya's book in totality and identify him as a fundamentalist Hindu.
 
Faruque Alamgir

On Tue, Apr 5, 2011 at 7:35 AM, Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com> wrote:
 
Amartya Sen on religion



Amartya in his 'The Argumentative Indian' has repeatedly mentioned that (Islamic and Muslim) tradition should be rejected and 'rahi aqbal' theory given by Emperor Akbar should be accepted as the main principle. He has even gone to the extent of saying that this demon tradition should and must be fought and rejected by the society.'

Dr Sen says, "Akbar not only made unequivocal pronouncements on the priority of tolerance, but also laid the formal foundations of a secular legal structure and of religious neutrality of the state. ...Despite his deep interest in other religions and his brief attempt to launch a new religion, Din-ilahi (God's religion), based on a combination of good points chosen from different faiths, Akbar did remain a good Muslim himself."

"The pursuit of reason and rejection of traditionalism are so brilliantly patent as to be above the need of argument. If traditionalism were proper, the prophets would merely have followed their own elders (and not come with new messages".

Prof Dr Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury on Dr Amartya Sen's book:

http://www.amardeshonline.com/pages/details/2011/04/05/75481



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