Bangladesh starts monitoring mosques, madrasas

[idune]

^^^Where does it say "forced"?

There were many news report then exactly what this Shamim Afzal character did. After showing dance some Imam left in protest and then Shamim Afzal verbally abused rest of Imams and threaten them with job to witness the dance. Report was in many news papers. You can search for old report.

Islamic Foundation Chairman Bangladesh - YouTube

 

[Armstrong]

A good step if I should say so myself; nip this in the bud and you won't have a problem in the future as we do. However having said that this monitoring process and the determination of what should be taught or what shouldn't be, should be as transparent, democratic and truly non-partisan as it can be by involving veritable scholars who scrutinize even the minutest details of the curriculum so that Government's nationwide initiative doesn't equal indoctrination !

 

[idune]

A good step if I should say so myself; nip this in the bud and you won't have a problem in the future as we do. However having said that this monitoring process and the determination of what should be taught or what shouldn't be, should be as transparent, democratic and truly non-partisan as it can be by involving veritable scholars who scrutinize even the minutest details of the curriculum so that Government's nationwide initiative doesn't equal indoctrination !

Offcourse, you are not aware ground realities in Bangladesh because your comments are way out from real situation in Bangladesh. Bangladesh never faced with severe issue of fanatics. And Mosque had never been place of any such thing in Bangladesh, even when JMB and others were running activities. So this monitoring Mosques for extremist is for questionable purpose by a regime that is working to establish dominance of specific religion over majority Bangladesh population.

 

[eastwatch]

Bangladesh starts monitoring mosques, madrasas


Bangladesh starts monitoring mosques, madrasas, IBN Live News

PTI | 07:08 PM,Aug 08,2012

From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Aug 8 (PTI)

Facing threat from militants and extremists, Bangladesh has launched a nationwide programme for monitoring mosques and madrasas to ensure clerics follow guidelines issued by the state-run Islamic Foundation. "We have engaged our 40,000 staff having background in Islamic studies to monitor the mosques and see if the imams or khatibs are conveying our messages against militancy in line with the real Islamic teachings," Islamic Foundation's director general Shamim Mohammed Afzal told PTI. He said the foundation staff would join the Muslim's weekly special 'juma' congregations when the clerics were supposed to deliver lectures or sermons against religious extremism and militancy and highlighting the "spirit of love" against "hatred and violence".

Islamic Foundation is an autonomous organisation under the Ministry of Religious Affairs working to disseminate values and ideals of Islam and carry out related activities. Afzal said the foundation earlier distributed several million copies of two books against militancy at the 270,000 mosques and over 100,000 madrasahs. The foundation officials said they have set up an anti-militancy cell and every week their officials monitor at least 10 mosques in Dhaka to see whether the clerics speak about militancy in their Friday sermons. "The officials were also tasked to motivate or request the independent clerics of the mosques to use their good offices and knowledge so that the youngsters were not lured by Islamist militants".

Bangladesh witnessed massive emergence of militant outfits in 2004-2005 when the country was hit by a series of blasts killing dozens of people as the groups promised to establish Islamic rule of their own brands. The situation sparked fears that the world's fourth largest Muslim majority nation was becoming a militancy hotspot and prompted the subsequent governments to launch a massive security clampdown that resulted in trial and execution of six militant kingpins while dozens were jailed or were still being tried.

Militancy must not be allowed and we must not allow a progressive Bangladesh to fall prey at the hands of ignorant Mullahs. Govt must pinpoint the mosques and madrassahs where militancy is taught and encouraged all in the name of Islam.

Islam is a religion of peace, but some of these ignorant Mullahs have made it a religion of hatred. They start spreading hatred against the non-Muslims, but, in the next phase it becomes a hatred against their own Muslim brethren who do not buy their brand of Islam.

Bangladesh must not be allowed to become a country infested with fanatics as in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This country must be like and modelled after Turkey, probably the only other Muslim country that values pluralism.

 

[idune]

Govt must pinpoint the mosques and madrassahs where militancy is taught and encouraged all in the name of Islam.

Do you or Awami regime showed any proof that any Mosque or Madrassa teaching militancy???? What you are talking about hot air with no substance. If there is specific case take action but blanket interference and imposition highlights Awami league anti Islamic policy and leadership hindu heritage.Awami League simply trying to score brownie points with western power brokers on back of innocent Muslims and communities. Fact is with Yunus issue, garments leader killing, abduction and corruption regime has lost its charm with western power brokers. Now Awami league regime using repressive tools on Muslim majority to get good side with Western capitals. Same way before last election Awami league tried to get good side of western capitals by labeling Bangladeshis and its establishments extremist in article like “Stemming the Rise of Islamic Extremism in Bangladesh”.

Bangladesh must not be allowed to become a country infested with fanatics as in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This country must be like and modelled after Turkey, probably the only other Muslim country that values pluralism.

Bangladesh was never like Pakistan or Afghanistan, so why are you and your like minded people always try to find link with Pakistan and Afghanistan? Bangladesh and Bangladeshis always respected pluralism so what is your lecture about??

Fact of the matter is, repressing majority Muslim population is no way to show pluralism, modernity or any other civilized norm, period. But that is what Awami league regime is doing and many of you preaching.

 

[livingdead]

Good job bangladesh. Better be safe than sorry. Fighting terror is expensive business, better to stop it in the beginning.
BTW, BNP fans will be disappointed because they are going to do exactly same thing.

Those who are saying bangladesh never had fanatics should look at pakistani experience. There were no fanatics there too, it took nearly 30 years to reach at this level.

 

[Mercenary]

Something like this needs to happen in Pakistan.

I support Bangladesh in this move.

And just like how Pakistan a few months back made a list of words to be banned on Text Messages.

They need to come up with a similar lists of words that needs to be banned from Mosque Sermons and Madrassas.

For example:
Jihad
Hindus
Zionists
USA
Christians
Martyr
India
Liberal
Taliban
Israel
Mossad
RAW
Zaid Hamid

 

[livingdead]

^^^ agree with the list except Zaid Hamid, he is our prince who will come flying on a white camel to delhi ( not on the white elephant fondly known as PIA)

 

[Banglar Lathial]

Why not start monitoring BAL cadres' meetings and conventions? Why not start monitoring temples and churches? Why not start monitoring USA, UK and hindutva-radicals' embassies for all incoming/outgoing messages/phone calls/etc?

It's the fault of Bangladeshis alone that Bangladeshis have not ditched BAL - an avowed agent of Hindutva radicals - into the Bay of Bengal. It's BAL that has stopped persecuted Muslim Rohingyas from entering Bangladesh, and it's BAL that has a long list of anti islamic activities to its name. Just blowing Sheikh Hasina's brains off alone can not be a solution to end the calamity known as BAL. The solution probably lies in drowning BAL in the Bay of Bengal.

Again, the fault lies with the people of Bangladesh for not ditching BAL wholesale.

 

[eastwatch]

BTW, BNP fans will be disappointed because they are going to do exactly same thing.

Do not say anything against BNP. It is not a Mullah party, it is a progressive party. However, it is now heavily influenced by the Jamaatis. Many jamaatis have also infiltrated into this party. Almost all the posters who claim themselves BNP are in reality Jamaatis. Watch them, they refer to the verses of our Holy book instanteneously. No BNP supporters will/can ever do it.

BNP is hardliner against India because it needs a section of voters to win the elections. However, it is more India friendly than people assume.

 

[zynga]

good move, as a secular nation they are taking care of the security of their country

 

[karan.1970]

Bangladesh seems to be avoiding all the mistakes Pakistan could not... Good job

 

[SamantK]

Proactive steps are not bad even if they are not very popular sometimes, policy decisions driven by popularity can also become counterproductive..

This move actually shows a good sign, given that there are elements in BD prone to supporting terrorism.. Indian influence if present is also good.. You cannot expect India to sit on its bum when such a threat can become a reality or do you?

 

[kobiraaz]

lol some people are actually buying this! There is no extremism in Bangladesh right now. There was no need of monitoring! In reality this is anti awami monitoring!! Not anti-extremism! These mosques and regular visitors to mosques are religious and for that critics of Awami secular rule! So this monitoring system was required to prevent any anti awami discussion!! what do people mean By mullahs?? Illiterate Tribal leaders? Sorry this is not the case in Bangladesh! Examples of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen , Somalia are not applicable for Bangladesh! those countries are infested with Tribalism, bangladesh is not! Bangladesh is in the league of Egypt or Indonesia! As for extremist groups only Hizbut Tawhid and Hizbut Tahrir are active in Bangladesh! Tawhid is good only in spreading Dajjal poster and tahrir they were never accused of terrorism! Strange that some of the progressive people are buying this awami deception!

 

[zynga]

lol some people are actually buying this! There is no extremism in Bangladesh right now. There was no need of monitoring! In reality this is anti awami monitoring!! Not anti-extremism! These mosques and regular visitors to mosques are religious and for that critics of Awami secular rule! So this monitoring system was required to prevent any anti awami discussion!! what do people mean By mullahs?? Illiterate Tribal leaders? Sorry this is not the case in Bangladesh! Examples of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Yemen , Somalia are not applicable for Bangladesh! those countries are infested with Tribalism, bangladesh is not! Bangladesh is in the league of Egypt or Indonesia! As for extremist groups only Hizbut Tawhid and Hizbut Tahrir are active in Bangladesh! Tawhid is good only in spreading Dajjal poster and tahrir they were never accused of terrorism! Strange that some of the progressive people are buying this awami deception!

prvention is better than cure