Religious Intolerance in Bangladesh
Press Action
Saturday, December 06, 2003
http://www.pressaction.com/news/weblog/full_article/akram12062003/
The Editor
The Daily Star
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Dear Editor:
Thank you for your front page article, “Anti-Ahmadia group gives one-week deadline to Govt”. My attention has been drawn to the anti-Ahmadia group?s ultimatum to the Bangladesh government to declare the Ahmadia community to be “non-Muslims.” It is abhorrent to hold that the state should be in the business of deciding who is a “Muslim” or who is a “non-Muslim,” or for that matter who is a “Hindu” or who is a “non-Hindu,” or who is a “Jew” or who is a “non-Jew,” and so forth. The state should not have any position on religious identify of its citizens. Every person and every group, irrespective of their religious convictions, should be free to practice his or her religion and religious beliefs. Bangladesh is a state of its citizens.
I find it appalling that Mr. Mohammed Mamtaji and his associates are calling for “jihad” against the Ahmadia community and have openly threatened Ahmadias with arson. Mamataji and his cohorts are disgrace to the Muslim community because their actions violate the cardinal Islamic values of tolerance, mutual acceptance, religious freedom, theological diversity and dissidence. They should be widely condemned for inciting violence. Those who preach hatred between Shias and Sunnis, between Muslims and Hindus, or between any religious and ethnic groups are the most shameful and vile people on earth. To pander to such people is a crime against humanity.
The Bangladesh authorities need to ensure that such activities to incite violence and take over the property of a religious community are immediately stopped. As a people, we have a collective responsibility to protect the rights of all communities in Bangladesh.
Sincerely,
[Dr.] Tanweer Akram