Open Letter To The US Congress On Bangladesh – OpEd
Bangladesh’s youths have succeeded in toppling the Sheikh Hasina regime that was autocratic and utterly corrupt. August 5 event has thus been appositely called the Second Liberation of Bangladesh. This revolution to topple a fascist regime could not have succeeded without the support enjoyed from all sectors within the broader Bangladeshi community – irrespective of caste and creed. Some of the student spokespersons were non-Muslims.
Those of us, living as US citizens of Bangladesh origin, are extremely excited about the new outcome with an interim government formed under the leadership of Professor Muhammad Yunus, a man internationally known for Nobel prize in peace, and his microfinance and 3-zero programs.
The fallen dictator who had fled to Narendra Modi’s India has not, however, given up on her wish to derail the hard-earned liberation that has witnessed the murder of at least 450 unarmed civilians, let alone thousands of people injured and detained by its Gestapo-like police force, which used live bullets against anyone they desired to shoot to prolong Hasina’s rule. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, living in the USA, has been agitating counter-revolution inside the country. This included calling for targeted attacks against Hindus. The student and youth groups affiliated with the deposed Awami League government were to initiate such crimes that would draw India’s intervention and/or trigger mass unrest which would be then subdued by Hasina’s supporters within the police and military, and a compliant supreme court that would declare the current interim government non-constitutional.
As a result, a counter-revolution was promptly hatched up on August 10, which saw the ambush of three Army Jeeps, torching of an army jeep and the merciless beating of five patrol soldiers in Gopalganj, the home district of Hasina. Fortunately, the student protesters were able to stop this heinous plan without any bloodshed. The Supreme Court and its top judges resigned, and no Hindu temple was vandalized. Muslims of all walks of lives are protecting not only Hindu temples but also neighborhoods.
In fact, since the second revolution, not a single Hindu temple has been vandalized. The only temple that suffered attack was in Meherpur. It belonged to the ISKCON, whose leadership behaved like the untouchables, above law and order. Requests to lower volume of microphone during Muslim prayer times were routinely ignored by its haughty leaders. It is not difficult to understand why this temple sustained minor damages in the early hours of the unrest. We do not condone attacks on anyone and anyone’s places of worship and properties. Dr Yunus and all members of the Interim Government have urged people to ensure the safety of everyone, especially, the religious and ethnic minorities – something that you know too well could not be said of Narendra Modi’s government in India vis-à-vis targeted killings and lynching of Muslims, and destruction of mosques, schools, madrasas, and businesses.
For your information, only two Hindus – a police man and an Awami League leader – were killed by the mob in the recent violence.
Gobind Paramanik, general secretary of the Bangladesh National Hindu Mahajot, addressed misplaced concerns in the Indian media following Sheikh Hasina’s departure. He said that not a single Hindu has been harmed for their religion. Granted that the same cannot be said of many Awami League leaders whose properties have been ransacked, and even set on fire. (You can listen to Paramanik’s views here: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93m5xi)
Bangladesh needs a new direction under a new leadership, away from political bickering and international intervention and conspiracy. It is sickening, although not too unexpected, to find that some Awami-minded individuals and/or RSS Hindutva supporting groups are conspiring to turn the clock back to deny the people’s legitimate aspirations for collective peace, well-being, prosperity, and happiness, which for too long was denied to them. They are spreading fake news through social media and the Indian press to portray a negative image about Bangladesh.
The activities of Priya Saha and her group, and Hindu American Foundation, lobbying the US Congress, are very concerning. They have long been known to be no lover of truth, honesty, and goodwill for the people of Bangladesh, let alone regional peace, stability and security. Their false narratives must be rejected by your office and all those who care about regional peace and prosperity. (See the links: Oikya Parishad has no link with Priya Saha’s comments | The Daily Star; ‘Priya Saha distorted my research findings’: Professor Abul Barkat | undefined (thedailystar.net))
It is gratifying to notice the recent call by six of your colleagues in the Capitol Hill urging the Biden Administration to impose sanctions on two members of the recently deposed government of Sheikh Hasina for their gross human rights violations. As noted by Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, “The use of violent force against peaceful protesters exercising their freedom of expression is an unacceptable violation of human rights. The Bangladeshi leaders who orchestrated this brutal crackdown must be held accountable, which is why we’re calling upon the Administration to sanction (Awami League) General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, as we continue working to support a peaceful and democratic Bangladesh.”
Such sanctions when extended to most members of the previous regime for their crimes and corruption would help to consolidate the second liberation of Bangladesh.
