After the two recent acts of terror in Bangladesh, it is natural that would be the talking point when I met people in London. They are very sympathetic, and want us to get out of this situation, but they have many questions.
The question that keeps cropping up most frequently is: “Why is it that Bangladesh has been targeted by the extremist Islamist groups?” followed by, “what can done now?”
Most here do not know the history of Bangladesh, where pro-Pakistani, anti-liberation elements infiltrated the country’s politics after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.
Now that his daughter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, is leading the country with the mission of establishing a secular country, free from war criminals as well as pro-Pakistani elements, she has become a target.
But what we need to do right now is a bigger topic of discussion, and it is not easy to explain our local political situation to outsiders, where BNP and its ally the Jamaat-e-Islami seem to be backing these extremist elements as far as the arrests indicate.
My sources tell me that the Bihari camps are riddled with crime, and tend to breed anti-Bangladesh sentiments.
Many well-off Biharis have now infiltrated the mainstream, but there are rumours that they fund and harbour pro-Pakistani elements.
Why should we continue to host individuals who oppose the independence of Bangladesh?
They not only collaborated with the Pakistani army during our Independence War but themselves were involved in looting, arson, and murder in 1971.
The mosques are the homes of Allah, and all are welcome. But in a Gulshan area mosque, the imam gave a sermon saying that those who did not fast or committed various subversive activities were not welcome for Eid prayers
I remember my father telling our Bihari neighbours in Chittagong where we were staying in 1971 to leave the then East Pakistan as they were opposed to the demands of Bangalis.
I believe he understood that these elements would never pledge their allegiance to a new country when it will appear on the world map sooner or later.
The other factor is to look at the sermons given by imams in mosques and madrasas both small and big.
I remember once going to the big mosque in Mahakhali that was built with funding from Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussain.
The imam was preaching wrong Islam, urging to fight (Jihad) for an Islamic Bangladesh. During the prayers, he sought the divine blessings from Allah for war criminaI Moulana Abdul Mannan.
I left, to the surprise of others present.
The mosques are the homes of Allah, and all are welcome. But in a Gulshan area mosque, the imam gave a sermon saying that those who did not fast or committed various subversive activities were not welcome for Eid prayers. A blatant lie.
Those who are well-versed in Qur’an were surely furious at such a statement. Needless to say, we need a new generation of imams who are actually well-versed when it comes to the Qur’an.
We must try to bring in clerics from Saudi Arabia who would tour Bangladedsh, giving sermons against Islamist terrorists that are being indoctrinated with wrong Islam. Last but not the least, is the role of the media.
All media houses should undertake comprehensive efforts to send out the clear message that Islam preaches: Love and peace.