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Umh!, Whats this? |
Neighbours January
2001
Anti-Hindu law to go in Bangladesh
After over 30 years of existence,
Bangladesh has finally drafted a bill to repeal a controversial 30–year–old
law, which enabled the state to seize the property left behind by Indians.
The Enemy Properties Act was initially meant to allow both India and Pakistan
to confiscate the property of those who had fled across each other’s borders
during their 1965 war. But though India repealed it soon after the war
ended, Pakistan retained it as did Bangladesh, which was formerly East
Pakistan. According to BBC News, members of Bangladesh’s Hindu minority
have resented the fact that this executive action has taken so long. Many
Hindus fled the country during the war. Rana Dasgupta, a lawyer from Chittagong
who described the law as a black law said that though he managed to challenge
the take-over of his property in court, he could do nothing more with it.
“I can’t sell it, I can’t mortgage it, I can’t make any improvement on
my property.”
Another victim of this discriminatory
law, Piyush Kanti Choudhury, had his ancestral home declared as enemy property
way back in 1965, even though, he insists, none of his relatives ever left
for India !
According to political analysts
the Act has affected nearly all of the 10 million strong Hindu population
of Bangladesh. A total of one million hectares of land has been seized
so far. More than anything else, the very existence of such a law has been
psychologically demoralizing and prompted an exodus of Hindus from the
country. The population of Hindus among the Bangladeshi population has
been reduced by half since 1971. Properties have been grabbed by both local
vested interests and land ministry officials. The Hindu minority has been
protesting the tardy attitude of the governing Awami League to repeal the
law, an election promise made five years ago. Dhaka–based researcher, Dr
Abul Barkat, has spent years collecting data on the seized properties.
Pak government bans Jehadi fund–raising
The Pakistani government’s publicized
decision to ban the collection of funds by jihadi organizations is a step
that has been widely welcomed by large sections of the Pakistani intellegentsia
and media even as serious questions have been raised about the effectiveness
of the diktat.
The widely circulated English
newspaper, Dawn had this to say in its editorial on the subject on February
14: “The step has been long overdue. One only hopes that the government
is aware of the enormity of the task that confronts it, given the religious
parties’ assertive spirit and organizational strength... their advantage
lies in having dedicated cadres who effectively propagate their cause in
religious idiom or rely on literature couched in religious jargon. More
important, because these parties and groups solicit donations in the name
of religion, the response is usually quite impressive. However, in
most cases, the money thus collected is used for purchasing arms and for
strengthening the party’s propaganda network. That invariably leads to
an accretion of strength to jihadi organizations and their parent parties
where they exist and gives them a political clout that is far out of proportion
to their popular standing or their electoral strength. More important,
they are not averse to flexing their military muscle in pursuit of
their objectives or when obstructed. In fact, we have had examples where
some religious parties organized meetings and rallies where arms were in
abundant display in open violation of the law. One such meeting was even
attended recently by the interior minister…”
The noble intentions will have to
be backed by uncompromising actions.
‘Preserve sanctity of mosques, madrassas’
In a strong appeal to fellow citizens,
a wide spectrum of groups and organizations — including trade unions, women’s
groups and other citizen’s initiatives in Bangladesh — have urged the local
citizenry to prevent mosques and madrassas from become training grounds
for terrorism. The Daily Star from Bangaldesh reports that the Oikyobaddha
Nagarik Andolan (United Citizens’ Movement) has called for the formation
of citizen’s vigilance committees across the country to protect the sanctity
of mosques and madrassas. The Andolan has also demanded the filing of criminal
cases against Fazlul Haq Amini, Azizul Haq and Charmonai Peer Fazlul Karim
for declaring two High Court judges murtad (apostate) and issuing a death
sentence against them.
At a press conference in mid February,
leaders of the movement also demanded identification of the madrassas where
armed training was being given by Harkat–ul–Jihad and other terrorist organisations.
If found guilty, these madrassas should be stripped of government grants
and stern legal actions taken against them, they said.
Among the prominent groups and associations
identified with the Andolan are Khusi Kabir, chairperson of the Association
of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB); Prof. Abdul Mannan Chowdhury,
Nirmul Committee; Ajay Roy, Sammilito Samajic Andolan; Nurul Islam, Trade
Union Centre; Sheikh Shahidullah, Teachers Association. |