Very sad and very angry; that is how I feel at the moment.
When I hear of the communalism of incidents such as Narail, I have to ask myself if this is the same Bangladesh that I learnt of in the refugee camps in India in 1971 and the same Bangladesh of 1985 when, in an interview, I said that it was my impression that religious tolerance was, at that time, far better and more understanding in Bangladesh than in India.
Remembering 1971, I will always remember witnessing the anger of Hindu and Muslim refugees in one of the refugee camps in West Bengal. The Indian government officer on deputation in that camp wanted to keep the Hindus in one area of the camp and the Muslims in a different area.
Two leaders, one from each religious group, told the government officer, “We have come from the same group of villages in Bangladesh and we have lived side by side for generations without any problems. We will continue in the same way and please remember that if we are to be labeled in any way, we are Bangladeshis first and foremost.”
In the refugee camps, it was touching to see how the people of different faiths helped each other at significant times. During Ramadan, some Hindu elders approached the Muslims suggesting that, because many of them were sick and starving, they should not observe the fast from dawn to dusk and that, perhaps, they could fast later at a time when they were healthy again.
Also, during Durga Puja, Muslims helped make rudimentary pandals and some even managed to make sweets to be distributed. In addition, at Christmas 1971, there was a double celebration -- Christmas and the victory over the Pakistani forces a few days earlier.
I am also reminded of a very moving incident which took place in West Bengal in January 1972. As thousands of the refugees were returning home to Bangladesh from India, Bangladeshi Hindu leaders from some of the Oxfam-supported refugee camps came to my Oxfam office in Calcutta to request for extra funds so that the their Muslim “brothers and sisters” be given sweets as they crossed the Bongaon/Benapol border in the last few days of January when Eid-ul-Adha should have been celebrated.
Over the last two weeks I have seen that there have been a number of thought-provoking and soul-searching articles written in the English newspapers. I assume there may have been an even greater out-pouring in the Bangla newspapers. However, respect for all religions is something that should be taught by religious leaders, at school, madrasas, and at home.
When I wrote something two weeks ago, there were a number of comments saying “secularism is anti-Islam.” Comments such as that show a lack of learning and understanding. I have been assured that the Qur’an speaks of respect for all religions and secularism is understood to mean the same.
In various commentaries written over the last two weeks, it has been stated that over the last two decades, about 20,000 cases have been filed in connection with attacks on minority communities. However, a verdict has been delivered in only one case. One verdict out of 20,000! Is this justice in any shape or form?
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government should take note that at the beginning of this month on July 5 and July 6, in London, a large 2-day conference took place titled “Freedom of Religion or Belief.” It was attended by ministers, government personnel, representatives of NGOs, and activists from about 100 countries. 47 of the countries represented brought “pledges” to the conference and one from Bangladesh was read out by Minister of State for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan, MP.
In it he read out that a “Nationwide religious harmony and awareness project at grassroot level to further promote religious tolerance” would be started. The minister also stated in his address: “No act of violence against religious groups goes unpunished under our justice system.”
Unfortunately, that is simply not true. It is expected and demanded by many that Bangladesh’s Minister of State for Religious Affairs ensures very swift action by the Home Ministry to see that justice is done very quickly as far as these cases are concerned. The minister also stated that his ministry is going to renovate about 2,300 Hindu temples out of a total of 42,000 temples in the country and it will also renovate 65 Christian churches. In addition, the Bangladesh government will build, he said, a Buddhist temple at Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.
We can only hope that these statements are also backed by action, and not just words.
Julian Francis has been associated with relief and development activities of Bangladesh since the War of Liberation. In 2012, the Government of Bangladesh awarded him the ‘Friends of Liberation War Honour’ in recognition of his work among the refugees in India in 1971 and in 2018 honoured him with full Bangladesh citizenship.
