Op-Ed: New Bangladeshi law encourages raping of Hindu girls and oppressing minorities
Shipan Kumer Basu explains the systematic oppression endured by Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other minorities living in Bangladesh. He claims that if things don’t change, within 10 years, there won’t be almost any minorities in Bangladesh.
Mar 23, 2017, 12:00PM
Shipan Kumer Basu
Photo Credit: Hindu Struggle Committee
In Brahmanbaria, the radical Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam has threatened all members of the Hindu minority that they will be uprooted from Bangladesh if the sculpture of the Lady Justice – the ancient Greek goddess of justice Themis holding a scale and a sword – that was erected on the Supreme Court premises is not removed immediately. Hefazat-e-Islam, the Olema League, Khelafat Majlish Bangladesh and Islami Andolon Bangladesh protested that the “Greek idol” should be removed on the grounds that it is anti-Islamic.
The Greek goddess (Lady Justice) has been placed in front of the High Court premises by this government yet these Islamist parties are backed by this government also. It is crystal clear to the Bangladeshi people that Sheikh Hasina is again launching new drama in order to initiate a riot between Hindus and Muslim.s Sheikh Hasina wants to hold onto her power by any means possible, whether it is killing or uprooting the minorities from Bangladesh. Hifazat E Islam and the Olema League had a big rally with thousands and thousands Madrassa students in Brahmanbaria, where they demanded the removal of the Greek Goddess’s symbol that proved that the country is turning rapidly into an extremist Islamist country, where already Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other indigenous minorities have been living in an insecure and horrific situation that was created by this ruling party’s leaders. Sheikh Hasina is planning a new war against the Hindu minority and it is being implemented by some Islamist radicals. Recently, Sheikh Hasina declared that the government should build a model mosque and Islamic cultural center in each sub-district but there is no budget for other non-Muslim minorities to do the same.
Syed Zakeriya from Khulna, Bangladesh
Photo Credit: Mendi Safadi
It is a big public question that Hefazat-e-Islam and the Olama League openly threaten all Hindu minorities, seeking to uproot them from Bangladesh but the government has not taken any legal action against them. On the other hand, in November 2016, a Hindu minority man had to stay in police custody for 3 month in prison for publishing a picture of the Hindu God Kaba Sharif on Facebook. Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and others indigenous minorities are Bangladeshi by birth. They are paying VAT and other taxes on a regular basis. But they are insecure in their holy motherland.
The new anti-Rape law in Bangladesh is a tool to convert Hindu girls into Muslims and to occupy their land and property. It is mentioned in the law that a rapist will not get punished if the rapist agreed to marry the victim. If the criminal or rapist doesn’t get any kind of punishment anyways, why was this kind of law passed in parliament if not to harm the minorities? The minorities are horrified regarding this kind of law that was passed in Bangladesh. This law is encouraging the ruling party`s workers to rape Hindu minority girls. By doing this, they can obtain minority assets by marrying and converting the Hindu girls into Muslims. If Sheikh Hasina`s daughter or relative is raped, will the rapist go unpunished? Will the rapist be allowed to marry her relative?
According to the constitution of Bangladesh, a democratic government is formed via a two party system but this government has demolished two party systems. As a result, the country is full of corruption. Minorities are being tortured, deported and removed from their positions and are being replaced by followers of the ruling party as part of a systematic plan to uproot the minorities from Bangladesh. On March 17, ISIS attacked again an RAB office. ISIS claimed that one of its supporters carried out the suicide bombing attack on the Ashkona RAB barrack in Dhaka.
The announcement appeared first on the ISIS Arabic Amaq news agency via Telegram and then on at-Tamkin (Bengali) Friday afternoon, within five hours of the attack. All of the planning was implemented by the government. In this way, the government is trying to fulfill two things. Firstly, they seek to uproot the minorities by creating a horrible situation via ISIS and then they are showing the international community that the government is against ISIS but actually the planning and implementation is performed by the government itself. The international community is busy dealing with Syria right now but they should think also about Bangladesh and Sheikh Hasina’s cooperation with ISIS in order to uproot the minorities from Bangladesh.
The Adibashi party is the only minority political party in Bangladesh and it celebrated its 3rd anniversary on March 19, 2017. Mr. Frank Creyelman, the Vice President of the ruling party in Belgium who is a European parliamentary member, was an important guest and he delivered his valuable speech on Bangladeshi minority issues at a press conference where many journalists from different print and electronic media were present. But the present government has imposed restrictions against those media outlets and journalists were not permitted to broadcast any news from that conference. Mithun Chowdhury is a founder and President of the Adibashi Party, which consists of Bangladeshi Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. After the press conference, the NSI and DGFI had their homes raided and were threatened because of that press conference on Hindu minority issues that was attended by an important EU guest.
The Hindu Struggle Committee is an international organization working for Hindu and others minorities rights. On March 18, 2017, there was a press conference in the Kolkata press club organized by the HSC on the Hindu minority`s continuous oppression in Bangladesh. Mr. Frank Creyelman was also present there as a major guest and delivered a valuable speech on the torture of minorities within the country. It got a lot of media exposure.
Now, in this situation, we have nothing to do but look forward with our eyes focused on the international community to save our lives, assets, culture, religion and existence. It is our urgent request as a member of the Bangladeshi minority community to the honorable President Donald Trump of USA and Honorable Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to look at our issues and to keep us in mind.
We are very much grateful to our great friend Mr. Mendi N. Safadi, an advisor of the Israeli Prime Minister and international diplomat, who has initiated an international campaign that speaks out against the oppression of minorities, anti-Hindu sentiment and crimes against humanity being committed against Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and other indigenous peoples in Bangladesh. We call upon the international community and media to pay attention to this issue for if it continues like this, within 10 years, there will be almost no minorities in Bangladesh.
We have a clear message to Sheikh Hasina that we are acting according to the law. For every action, there will be a reaction. We won’t tolerate this oppression anymore. We will make your government step down. You have to pay for the systematic oppression, abduction, looting and raping of Hindus alongside the demolition of Hindu temples by your followers. So, you are a criminal for the crimes against humanity that you committed that have so far gone unpunished. It is time for Sheikh Hasina to pay for everything that she has done.
