Attacks and Challenges on Hindus

brahmdeep alune

Over the past few decades, the radical Wahhabi form of Islam has increased rapidly in Bangladesh, which promotes jihadi terrorism. The Qaumi madrassas of Bangladesh which are above one lakh are outside the control of the government. The decisive struggle of change and tradition has now become the main challenge of national politics. Among the areas most affected by this are the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural societies of South Asia, which have been growing in harmony with each other for centuries. But due to the influence of radical forces, now the crisis has started deepening on this too. In fact, the adversities of India’s geographical conditions have posed new challenges for the internal and external security of the country. Its citizens, culture and geography play a major role in the strength and potential of a country. While India has embraced and nurtured multi-culturalism, the religious and culturalism of neighboring countries has only added to the problems of the entire region.

Hindus are the largest religious minority in India’s neighboring country Bangladesh. Their population is about 25 million, which is close to nine percent of the total population of the country. During the recent Durga Puja, extremists targeted Hindus and their temples in many parts of the country. It was so well planned that even the police could not control them. In the midst of all this, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured of stopping religious violence and strict action against those responsible, but unexpectedly advised India that there should be no such incident that affects the Hindus living in Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League is known for its inclusive ideas and the Prime Minister himself has been praising India’s contribution to the establishment of Bangladesh. But his language of checks and balances on Durga Puja is worrying for the Hindu minorities living there.

The Noakhali area of ​​Bangladesh has been the most affected by religious violence. This is the same area where fierce communal riots took place at the time of independence and Mahatma Gandhi was successful in stopping it by going among the affected. Even at this time the situation for Hindus is very bad there, but the eyes of the government representatives are on the general elections to be held in 2023. Clearly, the Awami League is feeling helpless in the face of radical forces. This may increase instability in Bangladesh. Anti-India slogans were raised in the countrywide attacks on Durga Puja.

This may increase the security challenge for India as well. It is known that there is a border of more than four thousand kilometers between India and Bangladesh, which touches Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, Meghalaya and Mizoram. The geographical conditions of the Northeast between the Bangladesh and India border are favorable for infiltration and taking advantage of this, Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI has been pushing terrorists into India through the Northeast. A decade and a half ago, the Ministry of Home Affairs of India prepared a document, titled – Pakistan’s Alternative Proxy War Basis. It mentioned about the new campaign launched by Pakistan to intensify subversive activities. The document specifically mentioned that Pakistan is developing Bangladesh as a new base for anti-India operations. The document also revealed that Pakistan has already shifted about 200 terrorist training camps and got them organized in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh, which came into existence after separating from Pakistan in 1971, has been battling political chaos for a long time. At the same time, the crisis of national cultural identity has deepened in this country. Hindus want to live there but their security concerns can be understood from the population imbalance. At the time of the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, the Hindu population was more than 20 percent, which has now come down to just nine percent. The main reason behind this is considered to be Islamic fundamentalism. Over the past few decades, the radical Wahhabi form of Islam has increased rapidly in Bangladesh, which promotes jihadi terrorism. The Qaumi madrasas of Bangladesh which are above one lakh are outside the control of the government.

These madrasas have been getting financial help from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. In this, fundamentalist elements have been spreading propaganda against minorities on the basis of blasphemy. Jamaat-e-Islami, a banned political party in Bangladesh, is prominent in this. The Jamaat is the largest Islamic political party in the country. This party supported Pakistan in the 1971 independence war. Later it joined the effort of Islamization of Bangladesh. Jamaat-e-Islami is the same organization that even coined slogans like ‘Bangladesh banega Afghanistan’ after the Taliban captured Afghanistan. The Jamaat wants to establish Bangladesh as a staunch stronghold of Islam. That is why he is radicalizing the youth.

Politics in Bangladesh has revolved around Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia. While Khaleda Zia is considered a supporter of radical forces, Sheikh Hasina is considered liberal and pro-India. Sheikh Hasina’s nearly thirteen years of rule has proved to be a boon for all citizens, including minorities, for a country constantly battling political instability. In many countries of the world, where right-wing governments have been increasing religious discrimination by promoting extreme nationalism for the last decade, Bangladesh is continuously moving forward with secular values ​​under Sheikh Hasina’s tenure.

Sheikh Hasina had also given a message by announcing that the famous Dhakeshwari temple located in Dhaka would be given a land of about Taka 500 million, that there should be all-round development for progress and stability. Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is continuously supporting Jamaat-e-Islami to stop Sheikh Hasina. About a decade and a half ago under the rule of the BNP government, Islamic fundamentalists had helped a lot to flourish. Ever since the government of the Awami League came, it has been trying to suppress them and it has also got some success.

The BNP has a longstanding relationship with the Jamaat and Islamic fundamentalists. Hindus in Bangladesh are considered to be supporters of the Awami League alliance and that is why Hindus become targets in the general elections. At present, Hindus in Bangladesh are living in fear. Police say that the temples that have been attacked have been asked to register a case. But the officials of many temples are not ready to register the case because they have little faith in the police. He says that only because of not getting the help of the police in time, the radicals were successful in carrying out violent incidents.

However, Bangladesh should move ahead while maintaining its liberal image. The reciprocity of national interests is an important aspect of the concept of international ethics. Nations must find ways to harmonize their interests, the greatest guarantee of survival is the harmony of national interests. Instead of looking towards India, Sheikh Hasina should keep in mind the teaching of Mahatma Gandhi that the interest of a nation can be reconciled with the larger interest of mankind.