As Jaamat, BNP-triggered violence continues, Bangla minorities look for new Indian homes
Kolkata: Post-election Bangladesh again proved its critics wrong! Escalating post-poll violence, according to reports reaching here from fur-flung border districts of Bengal, Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya, triggered exodus of religious minorities into India.
Post-poll violence triggered by Jaamat, allegedly backed by Pakistani agent agencies, let loose loot, burning down of minority-dominated villages, places of worships and abduction of women.
Jammat, a pro-Pakistan, fundamentalist political outfit, now in alliance with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has long been the architect of this systematic anti-minority violence takes the opportunity of every political chaos for decades now since Bangladesh won Independence in 1971.
Though new Government has yesterday announced formation of special Tribunal to deal with these cases and criminals “but it isn’t a threat big enough to reign in Jaamat muggers,’’ said a Bangladesh Muslim political organisation leader,’’ adding, “Hasina should have reacted to the problem more promptly with a firmer political and administrative blue prints.’’
According to Bangladesh political observers here, what exactly encouraged the Pakistan-backed fundamentalists, including, BNP, has been Indian Government’s half-hearted approach to torture of Bangladeshi religious minorities though a sizeable number of Muslim intellectuals in Dhaka condemned Jaamat and BNP brutalities on minorities, they are not mobilised effectively.
Though political establishments in Bengal did not react like once Tripura’s former chief minister and disposed off CPI(M) leader Nripen Chakraborty reacted on Chakma refugees: “I cannot ask them to go back as they fled their homes in Chittagong Hill tracks because were victims of communal violence.’’
And if these dark days strengthen the knife of Jaamat and BNP, the number of minorities will evaporate from Bangladesh, said former East Pakistani (now Bangaladesh). “Hasina needs to prove she is more serious with measures to protect religious minorities, he added.