Bangladesh Ravaged By The Storm Of Islamism

On August 5 of this year, following the fall of the Awami League government, an Islamic government assumed power in Bangladesh under the guise of the Yunus administration. People of all communities believed they had regained their freedom of expression and right to live. Suddenly, the hope for renewed freedom spread among communities and created a brief sense of security.

Sadly, on the night of August 5, Jihadis carried out attacks against Hindus. The situation of law and order began to deteriorate. Hope turned quickly into fear as attacks became regular every day.

Day by day, the persecution of minorities in Bangladesh intensified. Land grabbings, abductions, killings, and attacks have been added to minorities’ daily lives.

In the hills, Indigenous homes were being burned, while in the plains, the situation for Hindus and Indigenous people was becoming increasingly dire. The Hindu community keeps holding protests daily against these oppressions. These gatherings are an urgent demand for safety and justice.

The main cause behind all these persecutions against minorities is the storm of Islamism. It shows no sign of stopping. This unceasing storm targets minorities with a relentless fury. Islamism seems to be constantly ravaging the lives of minorities. Even Hindu priests, such as Sripad Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, have not been spared, with cases of sedition filed against many of them.

Currently, the forms of minority persecution differ in the hills and the plains. In the plains, the intensity is somewhat lower than in the hills. In the hills, there is direct gunfire from the military, while in the plains, vandalism and legal cases are rampant. Let me clarify this further.

1) How are Indigenous minorities persecuted in the hills?

August was marked by persecution of minorities. On September 15, the Indigenous student organization “Struggle and Equality Movement for Hill Students” called for a “March for Identity” assembly on September 18 in Khagrachari town. Their demands included ensuring a democratic environment in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, reforming the state to recognize Indigenous identity, and a constitutional acknowledgment of Indigenous rights, among others.

This call sparked widespread enthusiasm among the Indigenous students. It was expected to join around 50,000 students in the rally.

But the Hill administration became aware of it and began plotting to thwart the rally. In this context, a local Bengali settler named Mamun, allegedly involved in motorcycle theft, was publicly beaten and later died in the hospital. Rumors spread that the Indigenous people had killed a Bengali.

Despite the rumors, the “March for Identity” assembly on September 18 could not be stopped, and at least 40,000 Indigenous students participated.

The government was alarmed. On September 19, Muslim settlers attacked Indigenous people in Dighinala, Khagrachari district, from a rally. The settlers burned the homes and shops of Indigenous peoples. They killed and injured several with the support of the army and police.

That night, Indigenous people were guarding their homes to protect from the settler attacks in Khagrachari. At around 10 p.m., Colonel Abul Hasnat Jewel of the 203rd Infantry Brigade fired on Indigenous students guarding the roads near Naran Khaiya and Tufa School without provocation, killing Rubel Tripura from Polton Joy Para and Junan Chakma from Dhormopur, injuring several others.

On September 20, a rally was held in Rangamati District town to protest the incidents in Khagrachari and Dighinala. During the rally, settlers attacked Indigenous people, killing Anik Chakma in front of hundreds. The military and law enforcement stood by as silent spectators.

The mastermind behind these atrocities in September is Colonel Abul Hasnat Jewel, the commander of the 203rd Infantry Brigade in Khagrachari. While Indigenous people in Bandarban are subject to forced Islamization, Khagrachari and Rangamati witness bloodshed. The three districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts remain under military rule. Who will hold these military brigades and Jewel accountable?

2) How are Hindu minorities persecuted in the plains?

The Hindu community, worn down by the Islamization policies of the interim government led by Yunus, has grown increasingly desperate. Many sought to flee to India, but the Indian government has kept its borders closed to Bangladeshi Hindus. Thus, for survival, the Hindus have taken to the streets with democratic demands.

Almost daily, Hindu temples, homes, or people are attacked. These attacks have helped unify the Hindu community. On October 25, they called for a grand rally in the second-largest city, Chittagong, where at least 200,000 Hindus participated.

From this massive rally, eight demands were voiced, including the end to oppression against Hindus and condemnation of forced Islamization. It should be noted that many are being compelled to convert to Islam to save their jobs, homes, and property. These acts have fueled intense resistance among Hindus.

This resistance stirred the Islamic society. A new wave of suppression against Hindus began. To quell the movement, charges of sedition were filed against respected Hindu priests, including Sripad Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

Yet, the Hindus have not stopped. They remain steadfast in their demands. Protests continued yesterday and today, as rallies were held nationwide demanding the withdrawal of sedition charges against Hindu priest Sripad Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari and others.

It seems that Islamism is quickly taking place in Asia. It has reached from the Middle East to Bangladesh.

Islamization seems to be devastating minority groups across Bangladesh. Their daily lives hang in the balance, with Indigenous people in the plains and Chittagong Hill Tracts, as well as Hindus, suffering devastating losses. Without international human rights assistance, minority communities will continue to experience irreparable harm in Bangladesh.

November 1, 2024
Tokyo, Japan