From: M Mahmudul Hasan [mailto:wpmh12@hotmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 6:07 PM
To: newage@bangla.net; newagebd@global-bd.net
Subject: banning religion-based political parties
Dear Sir,
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed’s statement that the Awami League regime will ban religion-based political parties is unfortunate. I think such a move will create further acrimony and disunity among the people of Bangladesh. Subsequent political crisis and clashes may claim lives. Instead of addressing such touchy and unnecessary issues, the government should work hard with the help of the people of Bangladesh to advance our economy and our national standing in the international arena. Whenever we step out of our land, our national pride meets disillusionment, as we become aware that our country lags far behind other nations in terms good educational and political culture and prosperity. Perhaps, our standing in international politics is one of the lowest in the world. The political parties that have been in power are largely to blame for this. Banning religion-based parties will not give us bread and butter. Let us address the pressing issues of poverty, illiteracy, corruption, campus violence and other social and political ills, which have been crippling the nation ever since its birth.
Banning religion-based political parties may not meet the objective Awami League has in mind. Turkey has put such a ban for a long time, and that did not stop the pro-Islamic AK party from coming to power. If Awami League bans Islamic parties in Bangladesh, people involved in those parties will emerge with ‘secular’ names and will continue the same political activities they have been doing under religious banners. What is more, such a ban is undemocratic and is absent in the Western world.
Europe has a tradition of major Christian parties. For example, Germany has been ruled on-and-off by the Christian Democratic Union for a long time. Other Western countries also have Christian political parties. For example: Australia has Christian Democratic Party; Belarus has Conservative Christian Party of Belarusan Popular Front; Belgium has Christian Democrat and Flemish Party; Canada has Christian Heritage Party; Czech Republic has Christian Democrats – People’s Party; Germany has Bavarian Christian Social Union; Latvia has Christian Democrats; Lithuania has Christian Democratic Party; Luxembourg has Christian Social People’s Party; Netherlands has Christen Democratisch Appel, and Christian Union; New Zealand once had Christian Heritage Party; Norway has Christian People’s Party; Russia has Christian Democrats; Serbia has Christian Democrats; Slovakia has Christian Democratic Movement; South Africa has African Christian Democratic Party, and United Christian Democratic Party; Switzerland has Christlich-Demokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz, Christian Social Party, Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz (Protestant People's Party), and Catholic People’s Party; Uruguay has Christian Democrats; big brother United States of America has Christian Coalition, Christian Coalition of Florida, and Christian Falangist Party of America.
These seem ok and nobody goes for banning them. The problem seems to occur when Islam is associated with political parties. This is unfortunate and part of the process of demonizing this noble religion. Awami League may receive accolades from Western governments for such a move to ban Islamic parties in Bangladesh; and this will only add to their big list of doubt-standard policies.
Ibne Younus
Elephant Road
Dhaka
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