Bangladesh has its share of different Islamic terrorist groups about 12 in number. All the groups have come into existence in last two decades. The estimated and claimed total number of supporters of all 12 groups is around 32 lakhs. Current AL led govt. and earlier BNP led govt. tried to contain some of those groups for political reasons. A sum-up of the objectives of those terrorist organisations are given below:
1. To establish the rule of Islam in Bangladesh through Jihad.
2. To re-establish Khilafat.
3. To fight against secular image of Bangladesh like Bengali New Year.
4. To fight against Bengali cultural activities.
5. To fight against democracy and electoral process as these are un-Islamic.
6. To root out minorities from Bangladesh.
7. To renounce liberation war of 1971 and Constitution.
8. To convert whole world to Islam and place under the leadership of a Bangladeshi Imam Uz Zaman.
It is actually a power game of different schizophrenic groups. Only the means is Islam here. A popular public opinion across Bangladesh against these terrorist groups is conspicuous by its absence. Low literacy level and general poverty may be the reasons. Moreover, Kwomi madrassas are producing youths with unifocal vision and semiliterate Maulavis/Mullahs are preaching many fictitious things about Islam to glorify it.
Will right thinking Bangladeshi youths mobilise the community against the teachings and activities of all such terrorist groups is a million dollar question?
You said the truth.
Poverty and illiteracy are not only the two reasons. I think, a group of people leads Islamic fundamentalists in Bangladesh. They are always against the Bengali culture and follow a terrorist name ‘Moududi’. Their working process is very interesting as my opinion. This is simple but intellectual. They mixed moududi rules with Islam. Think, one hundred people live in a village; five of them are members of the Islamic group. Five people are teaching others Islam. Also saying ‘Bengali culture had come from Hindu, Poila boisakh is a Hindu festival, we should not follow them.’ ‘Do not support Shekh Hasina because she loves India and, India is against Islam’. Other people know that they are good humans because they follow Islam. So, people trust them. In this way, they are increasing their supporters.
The Group is very professional. Their members spreaded in all level of people, even in administration and in judicial. Their strength increased during the last Khaleda Zia Government. Day by day, they are being stronger and stronger.
Those fools do not know that religions are out dated man made concepts. Only idiots tell that religions were established by God, Allah or Bhagawan. To me unconditional humanity should replace all religions.
I am personally fortunate to observe that Muslim elders in a village supervised a Hindu “marriage” ceremony. When one of those Muslim elders was going to Mecca for pilgrimage, some Hindu children were crying.
We need more people with open mind to defeat the design of religious fundamentalists.