A documentary portraying the conflict between secular humanism and ideology of Shariah-based statehood in Bangladesh, particularly the activities of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam in the name of religion, was released yesterday.
It shows how the religious minorities especially the Hindus and Buddhists were attacked by the fundamentalists’ groups like Jamaat at different times and the inability of the victims and witnesses to seek justice.
The 43-minute-long documentary “Whither Bangladesh” is directed by Shahriar Kabir, the president of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, and produced by South Asian People’s Union against Fundamentalism and Communalism.
During its release at the Women’s Voluntary Association (WVA) auditorium in the capital’s Dhanmondi, Shahriar said: “Due to lack of modern law, proper justice could not be ensured for the victims’ families. Traditional laws cannot ensure protection of the witnesses. On the other hand, taking advantage of such loopholes, Jamaat is still trying to attack the minority people with a view to evicting them from the country.”
He proposed that an action programme is planned to fight terrorism perpetrated in the name of Islam and uphold the spirit of secular democracy.
The documentary also depicts elaborately the “propaganda” unleashed by Hefazat-Jamaat-BNP claiming that thousands of Islami scholars were murdered in the dead of night after the May 5 rally last year using “doctored photographs.” Citing media reports, the documentary states that no more than 40 people were killed during and after the rally and the police crackdown while some of the victims were members of the police force.
The Nirmul Committee formed a people’s inquiry commission to investigate the incident. The commission also prepared a “White Paper.” The documentary, made based on the “White Paper,” also includes related developments of year 2014, and statements of family members of those who were killed on May 5. Some of them alleged that their near and dear ones were forced to attend Jamaat-Hefazat programmes.
The documentary also contains interviews of a number of noted academicians, journalists, lawyers, cultural activists, police officers and Islamic scholars.
The event was presided over by journalist Kamal Lohani, also an adviser to the Nirmul Committee, when Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam and 1971 martyr’s wife Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury were present.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said: “The risk of communal attacks and militancy in the country has not decreased yet. If we want democracy then we have to say goodbye to any kind of militancy.”
State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan said: “There is no village in the country without 5-10 madrasas. We the people do not know what is happening in those madrasas...which are inviting a great danger for the nation. They do not follow the government’s syllabus.”
He said: “We have learned from intelligence reports that many of the receivers of fund released by Islami Bank do not exist. We are working to stop funding for militants.”
The government is working to modernise and update the curricula of the Madrasa Education Board, and inserting writings against militancy and terrorism.
