‘Communal forces out to turn country into Afghanistan’
Say speakers at 50th anniv event of Workers Party
Bangladesh will become another Afghanistan if communal forces are not repelled, said speakers at a discussion yesterday.
Referring to the recent attacks on minority communities, they said pre-planned communal attacks are being carried out across the country.
"It seems that the country has become Afghanistan. The events that are taking place, these are not the characteristics of Bangladesh," said Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon.
He was talking at a discussion at the capital's Jatiya Press Club titled "Spirit of Liberation War and the recent communal situation in Bangladesh", commemorating Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam as part of the party's 50th founding anniversary.
We want to dream of a state where people of all religions and ethnic communities will live together with equal rights.
Referring to attacks at different times, he said, "The reaction of Bangladeshis to Nupur Sharma's comment was somewhat moderate, compared to what we saw around the world. But now again... the Hindu community is being attacked. What else can I call it other than a pre-planned incident?"
He urged everyone to be unified to fight communalism like the way Gono Adalat and Gonojagoron Moncho were united as a single platform.
Speaking at the programme, the party's general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha said, "It is not very easy to make Bangladesh a secular state in the practical sense and within a short time. But, if we fail to create the environment to continue that effort, dire situations await us in the days ahead."
"If we become a little careless, various forms of religious fundamentalism can give communalism a totalitarian form. Only a secular Bangladesh can stand firm against terrorism and fundamentalism," he added.
He also warned that if the communal forces are not resisted and the government does not keep state and religion separate, then Bangladesh's situation will become that of Afghanistan.
Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahriar Kabir said not only the state but politics also needs to be kept separate from religion. Then Pakistan government oppressed Bangalees and killed 30 lakh people during the Liberation War in the name of religion.
"In the 15th amendment of the charter, Islam was kept as the state religion to satisfy HM Ershad and to lure him to join the 14-party alliance. But it's directly contradictory to the charter. When you are restoring secularism as one of the four principles of constitutions, how can you keep one particular religion as a state religion?" he said.
He also alleged that the state has failed to play its due role regarding different communal attacks.
"The communal terrorists have to be brought to book immediately, otherwise no one can prevent Bangladesh from becoming another Afghanisthan," he said.
Echoing him, noted educationist Prof Syed Anwar Husain said, "State religion is in contradiction with democracy, the constitution of 1972, and principles of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
He demanded a stop to politicisation of religion and abolishment of state religion.
Addressing the event, Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of Bangladesh Adivasi Forum, said, "We want to dream of a state where people of all religions and ethnic communities will live together with equal rights. A state where there will be no discrimination between people, no discrimination due to religious and ethnic identity; everyone desires that kind of state."