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Distressing
The recent incidents of religious intolerance and Islamic fanaticism in Bangladesh are very disturbing. I was always proud of my country which, though a predominantly Muslim one, practised secularism or so it seemed to me. But for the last few years, we were introduced to all kinds of nightmarish acts of hatred performed by vested groups all in the name of religion and completely ignoring the fact they are harming none but the innocent members of their own community. Islam teaches us tolerance and love for our
fellow human beings but this warped version of Islam practised by the fundamentalists needs to be stopped.. .and right now!! It is also amazing how the media in this country hardly gives any coverage to the plight of religious minorities. I had to read about the atrocities that the Hindus in Bangladesh were subjected to.
One of my very good friends in the US, who happened to be a Bangladeshi Hindu, would always point out the discriminations his family and him had to encounter living in 'secular' Bangladesh. Recently, I heard a
speech by the very eloquently outspoken Arundhati Roy on a US cable network. I was deeply embarrassed when she pointed out how the media in Bangladesh and India played a role in not giving any coverage whatsoever to mass killings as well other injustices that the already neglected minorities are subjected to in these countries. Sadly, I had to agree with her.
Zain Bari
Dhaka
***
I am writing to The Daily Star almost two years after I left Dhaka for Boston, US, in late
2002. The bomb attack has been going on, one after another, in the last six months or so in different places in Bangladesh. But what happened on last 21 August was out my wildest imagination, although I have always been concerned about the rise of Islamic militants in Bangladesh. Bangladeshis living in the US and other parts of the world are equally disturbed, horrified and angry. This is not something which our freedom fighters fought for in 1971. This is just not acceptable.
Now the million dollar question is who did it? Are they going to be identified and punished? I have got all the doubts in my mind. Look at the chronology of bomb attacks since 1999--- the target was always the secular forces (like AL, Udichi, Communist Party, JSD, Church, Chhayanat, Hummayun Azad etc. etc.). Every single attack is linked with another. People have reason to believe that the perpetrators of these kind of heinous crimes are communal, fundamentalist and fascist forces linked with international terrorist groups . Most importantly, they opposed our war of liberation.
This is possibly the last opportunity for the BNP to prove to the nation that they believe in our Liberation War and democracy.
Sonia Mirza
Commonwealth Street, Boston, US