A silent and systematic persecution of religious minorities in Bangladesh- Implications for Government and Religious minorities

Bangladesh has a great cultural history deeply influenced by the topography in which it sits and the influence & interaction of faiths down the centuries. The people of Bangladesh always showed great respect, tolerance, and free-thinking attitudes to each other's irrespective of beliefs, race, and communal identities. We all lived together, fought together, and prayed together during the years of many national crises.

Sadly, in recent months, Bangladesh has witnessed some of the worst communal violence. Dozens, possibly hundreds of homes, have been ransacked, and heinous crimes including rape and murder perpetrated by Bangladeshis against Bangladeshis. Though tragically, such violence, especially against minority and disadvantageous communities, is not new. The scale of recent attacks in Shalla against Hindus should give cause for alarm, significantly as it raises serious question about the country's will and ability to protect its citizens. The climate of fear and mistrust is now a grave threat to the peace, prosperity, and security of a nation that we cherish.

A silent and systematic persecution of religious minorities we all are witnessing for the past 7 decades

Bangladeshi minorities have been suffering a systematic ethnic cleansing that forced this community to drop their population size to just less than 9% in 2017 compared to over 25% in 1950.

As Bangladeshis, we do not want to see a country that becomes a land of 'us and them'. We know only too well what suffering means. That is why we call on the entire Government to act in concert to end the bigotry and persecution, destroying lives and whole communities. It is time for the firm and decisive action. Those officials who fail to protect citizens dismissed and, if necessary, prosecuted using the full force of the law.

A wrong is a wrong

As we survey this troubled world, it is easy to wring our hands and do nothing. All too often, we look around a see evidence of grave injustices, and instead of voicing our concerns, we see these injustices through the prism of partisanship. An injustice is an injustice, and we must not permit our own political or religious convictions to cause us to be selective about those injustices we raise our voice about. All too often, governments are guilty of being indifferent to the suffering of some, which zealously championing others, by so doing, they demean themselves. They do those they are elected to serve a grave disservice. Everywhere we look, we see evidence of indifference or partisanship.

There is frequent talk of secularism, yet it must not throw its lot in with a particular cause or dominant group for a society to be truly secular. Secularism recognizes the intrinsic value of pluralism; this includes faith, political beliefs and cultural traditions. A country such as Bangladesh draws its strengths from a variety of practices down the ages, and whilst there are some determined to peddle a narrow version of events, in truth, the rope is made up of many strands. Our outstanding achievement is the fact that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Political, religious and communal strive is invariably borne out of ignorance. We must guard against those who dole out a little education, only to manipulate and twist what they distribute. Ultimately we need to empower and educate ourselves, for then we will realize that education can transcend the boundaries of ignorance and intolerance. Real education is not about degrees and certificates but about developing an understanding and a conscience that means we tackle injustice regardless of religion, creed, colour and caste.

We all must learn a lesson from these most unhappy Shalla episodes because we cannot be sectarian about grievous wrongs and injustices. Injustice is injustice, regardless of who it comes from. If we choose to stay silent about it, there is always the danger that we give the impression of our tacit approval. We need to speak out. But each of us must strive to behave with dignity and mutual respect.

Recommendations for the Government of Bangladesh

1. Minority rights should have adhered to that governed by article 4.1 in the constitution of Bangladesh:

(a) Every citizen has the right to profess, practise or propagate any religion.

(b) Every religious community or denomination has the right to establish, maintain, and manage its religious institutions

2. Bangladesh Government should adopt and implement the Minority rights by the United Nations and revisit secularism. To eliminate all forms of communal and racial violence, the Government should adopt the International Convention.
3. Stop all types of persecution on religious minorities: We strongly demand to stop all kinds of persecution of religious minorities, including grabbing properties by force, eviction of large-scale poor minority families systematically, rape and sexual violation, damaging places of worships, inequality in all aspects of life and forceful conversions.
4. Full support to all victims of these heinous atrocities including rebuilding their lives and prosecute the culprits. Bring justice.
5. Parliament should adopt a minority protection act and must implement the law with confidence. Government should take complete responsibility to protect each citizen of its nation
6. Urgent creation of a ministry for minorities with an appropriate level of judicial power
7. Increase accountability of all local administrative branches, including elected government members, to ensure minorities protections are upheld and enforce laws where necessary.
8. Introduction of special multicultural education and transformative citizenship education programme to all educational institutions from primary level to higher level to ensure citizens' rights and religious harmony.
9. Training provisions for legislators: Bangladesh Government should increase training opportunities for legislators, judiciary, law enforcement agencies and government and party officials on human rights and religious freedom.

Implications and recommendations for Religious minorities

1. Let us stands together: Strengthen our communal values, beliefs and moral education to raise individual potential. To feel we all are part of this nation-state. To learn to raise our unified voices together without narrow self-assertiveness or interest.
2. Give full support, both moral, financial, emotional and rational, to the victim families and raise their morale
3. Create inter-communal harmony: All inter-and intra-minority organizations should work together to protect our core values and find common ground to be unified and raise our unified voices to the local and national authorities.
4. Educational programme: Invite minority-based organizations and other local and international NGOs to create an inclusive educational programme for ethnic minorities to develop their social identity and citizenship rights.
5. Collaboration and cooperation: Local minority-based organizations and civil society members at both institutional and individual level should increase their efforts to collaborate with local Government and other community organizations to ensure societal values are upheld and minimize inter-religious tensions.
6. Organize an annual international conference/symposium to create inter-religious harmony.
7. Create an International advisory committee to oversee the persecutions of ethnic minorities in Bangladesh.
8. Increase research and development programme