Last forwarded email to you was about the plight of Biharis living in
Bangladesh. But what about the Hindu religious communities and other religious minorities? I have seen them being harassed and mistreated since my childhood days. After the independence, it simply got worse and now getting worse than ever before.
The article in the forwarded email depicts how these people are being persecuted and uprooted from their ancestral home by the politically backed hooligans of Sonar Bangla.
Thank you all for your atention and support,
Abdullah A. Dewan
Ph.D (econ), M.S (nuclr.eng),
M.Sc (phys., Dhaka)
Professor & Econ Dept Head
Eastern Michigan University
-------- Original message --------
From: Bagha Bangalee
Date:03/27/2014 6:39 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: nhaque@aol.com,adewan@emich.edu,politiconomy@list.emich.edu, alfalahbd@gmail.com,jessore01@gmail.com,sjakirahmed@hotmail.com, onlyasif@hotmail.com,poplu@hotmail.com,farahmina@gmail.com
Subject: The Plight of displaced and dispossessed Hindus in "Sonar Bangla".
It so nice to bring the plight of displaced and dispossessed Biharis. Have you guys any thought about the systematic atrocities on Bangladeshi Hindus and other minorities. Biharis wanted Pakistan and migrated from India but Bangaldeshi (Erstwhile East Bengal) Hindus neither asked or voted for Pakistan nor India. Since 1971 why no Govt has arrested, charged nor punished a single perpetrator who committed atrocities on these peaceful citizens of our country -- their own ancestral land. During the last 42 years of the emergence of Bangladesh, according to the International report, 4.87 million Hindus and other minorities have fled to West Bengal to save their lives and dignity. See the opposite in West Bengal -- the State treats all minorities including its Muslim citizens and provides full protection similar to any other citizen. Hundreds of temples and pagodas belonging to Bangladesh Hindus and other minorities have been torched, burnt, looted, their properties gabbed and women violated -- but no SINGLE perpetrator has been identified, arrested nor brought to justice. As Bengalees should we not be ashamed for these acts to remain silent spectators?
With the rise of Islamic fundamentalist and militancy in Bangladesh religious and ethnic minorities are being still persecuted. The persecution and violence against religious and ethnic minorities are manifold and have not become crisis overnight. It can be considered as ethnic cleansing and may be described as follows:
Grabbing of minority property properties by individual or groups by force and threat.
Large scale eviction of poor minority families and tribal minorities from their ancestral lands.
Rape, kidnap and sexual violation of women belonging to minority communities.
Forcing minorities either to convert to Islam or flee from the country.
Destruction and desecration of places of worships such as temples, monasteries and churches.
Depriving minorities of education, business and professional opportunities.
Extortion of money in the form of "infidel security tax".
Election time violence or political attacks targeting minorities for their perceived role as "vote bank" for certain parties and being a factor in win/loss for candidates.
When the state appears to be the best patron to the process of discrimination, injustice and violation, it promotes an atmosphere of impunity. Minorities are being assaulted on the streets, in their homes and at their work places and threat to leave the country. Even the human rights defenders are not spared. 2001 Commission report on atrocities on the minorities is not yet published because it is too much sensitive.
Minority girls are the main targets who are kidnapped and converted with the active support the local politicians and religious leaders. It is known as "Love Jihad". At the same time administration plays important roles to facilitate by applying force , fear and inducement. Rape, by far, is the weapon of choice against the minority communities.
The harrowing tales of the vanishing minorities of Bangladesh and their cries for help go unknown and unheard to the international community. Vanished population can be compared with a dozen European Union countries or more than fifteen US states or about the size of Greece or the State of New York in just 40 years. It seems that a silent genocide is going on in slow and secure process. The decade long minority cleansing in Bangladesh sits atop the history's infamies right along with the Holocaust. The only difference is that Holocaust ended with the tragic and barbarous massacre of 6 million innocent Jews while Bangladesh minorities' struggle for survival continues with no end in sight. If the trend continues and nothing is done to turn the tide, very soon, minorities will be wiped out from Bangladesh.
It is not recognized before that atrocities are going towards the religious and ethnic minorities. Now each and every political party recognizes the atrocities in Bangladesh including the Islamic militant groups as because of the great concerns of the International Community after the general election. But no one takes the responsibility and the Blame Game continues as usual and the same group continues to suffer.
Your voice to stop this minority cleansing would be highly appreciated.
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