Ahmadis of Chantara are under Threat!

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Bangladesh

Ahmadis of Chantara are under Threat!

After about an year and a half, Ahmadis of Chantara village under Ghatail Upozilla (Police Station) of Tangail district are under threat again!

Background:

Last year (18th June 2010) a makeshift Tin-shed Ahmadiyya mosque and a house were vandalized by some fanatic people led by Imam Mufti Nasiruddin. Daily Star Report, 19.06.2010.

After that there were further attacks on Ahmadis on 7th & 8th August, 2010, when almost all the houses of 40 (forty) Ahmadi families were vandalized, looted and many were injured. See the link below:

 Attack Photos
 Boishakhi TV footage 08.08.2010

Again there was fresh attack on Ahmadis on 18th October, 2011, this time 6 Ahmadis including a lady were severely injured. See the link below:

 Attack October, video footage
 Daily Start Report

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at arranged Press Conferences, issued Press Notes and met and submitted documents to high-ups of the government including Ministers belongs to that area, MP of that area, IG of Police and sought justice and appealed to uphold the basic human and citizen rights of Ahmadis. We were assured that justice will be done and rights of Ahmadis will be protected.

Recent Incident:

On 13th November, 2011, almost one and a half years after, local Ahmadis of the village Chantara took initiative to set a tin-shed boundary to protect the place of mosque that was vandalized and looted by the fanatics in last year. But unfortunately, bowing down to the demand of fanatics Officer In-charge and UNO of Ghatail Upozilla stopped Ahmadis to erect the tin-shed wall and in their presence all the construction material were taken away.

Now the question are :

• Aren’t the Ahmadis citizens of Bangladesh.
• Don’t they have the rights to protect their own properties.
• Isn’t their constitutional and basic human rights to build their place of worship/mosque and practice whatever they belief?
• Can Administration do injustice to any of their citizens?

Govt need to act against Ahmadiyya tormentors

15/11/2011 00:00:00

Home | EDITORIAL |

Govt need to act against Ahmadiyya tormentors

MEMBERS of the Ahmadiyya community, a minority sect of Islam, are once again exposed to intimidation. This time, they have been barred from building a mosque at a village in Tangail, although, in line with Article 41 of the constitution, ‘every citizen has the right to profess, practice or propagate any religion’ and ‘every religious community or denomination has the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions’. According to a report published in New Age on Tuesday, the victims have pointed fingers to the law enforcers, who are supposed to protect their rights, for that violation. A local leader of the Ahmadiyya community alleged that while members of the Ahmadiyya community at Chantara village under Ghatail upazila started fencing their land in a bid to construct a mosque Monday morning, the police came to the spot and stopped their activities apart from pulling down the fencing.

It is pertinent to recall that Ahmadiyyas are a beleaguered community in Bangladesh. A section of religious bigots have sought to prevent them from practising their faith for years. Besides, they have clamoured during this period that the government declare Ahmadiyyas as non-Muslims which is altogether affront not only to democratic values but also to the spirit of religious harmony. Worse, they have unleashed attacks on them and their homes and places of worship on several occasions. Regrettably, however, successive governments have hardly taken any deterrent steps against these crimes. Rather, they appear to have pursued an appeasement policy when it comes to dealing with such bigotry. All this may have, on the one hand, emboldened the bigoted elements in society to continue their misdeeds and, on the other, prompted the law enforcing agencies to give indulgence to the tormentors of the Ahmadiyyas.

Most people in Bangladesh, irrespective of their religious faiths, believe in communal harmony; the bigots are essentially a minority. If the government is serious, it can tackle such bigotry that is posing a danger to our syncretistic social fabric, developed over centuries. Ironically, the denial of rights of a community occurs at a time when a political force, which usually loves to be identified as the defender of that secular entity of the country, is in power. The incumbents indeed need to do something decisive to ensure the rights of all minorities, including the Ahmadiyyas, as well as to thwart the overall activities of the bigots.

URL: http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/archive_details.php?arcid=40099

Tangail villagers stop Ahmadiyyas from building mosque

15/11/2011 00:00:00

Home | FRONTPAGE |

Tangail villagers stop Ahmadiyyas from building mosque

Our Correspondent. Tangail

People in a Tangail village stopped the local members of the Ahmadiyya community from constructing a mosque for themselves on Monday.

Assistant superintendent of police Md Sajahan said that members of the Ahmadiyya community at Chantara in Ghatail started to build a mosque in the village about 11:00am but that other villagers stopped the work.

On hearing about the matter, the police from Ghatail police station went to the spot and removed both parties, he added.

Policemen have been deployed there to deal with any violence.

Local Ahmadiyya leader Rafiq Ahmed, however, said that local members of the community had started fencing their land to build a mosque but that the police had stopped their activities.

‘Not only that, but the police also broke our fencing and deployed extra policemen there,’ he said.

URL: http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/frontpage/40070.html

Mufti Hannan produced in Khulna court

	Your Right To Know
Tuesday, February 8, 2011	National

Ahmadiyya Mosque Bombing

Mufti Hannan produced in Khulna court

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Chief of banned Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) Mufti Abdul Hannan was produced in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) yesterday amid tight security in the case for bomb attack on Khulna Ahmadiyya mosque in 1999.

Moulana Obaidul Huq Abdullah, younger brother of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Sheikh Abdur Rahman was also brought to the same court.

Seven people were killed and 34 others injured in a bomb attack on an Ahmadiyya mosque in Nirala residential area under Khulna Sadar police station on October 8 in 1999.

CID of police submitted final report of the sensational case after a long investigation in 2001. The case was revived through court by the present government and Hannan was shown arrested in the case.

Investigation officer Khandaker Miraj Billah of CID said that Mufti Hannan was earlier quizzed in the case at Dhaka office of CID where he gave some important information.

He further said that Obaidul Huq Abdullah has also been shown arrested in the case.

Both the accused would again be produced before the court on March 2 this year as per an order of the CMM court.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=173285

Mufti Hannan on 5-day remand in Khulna

	Your Right To Know
Tuesday, December 28, 2010	National

Mufti Hannan on 5-day remand in Khulna

Ahmadiyya Mosque Attack

Staff Correspondent, Khulna

Banned Harkat-ul-Jihad (Huji) kingpin Mufti Abdul Hannan has been taken on a five-day remand for interrogation in connection with the case recorded with Khulna Sadar police station on October 9, 1999 for bomb attack on Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat mosque at Nirala in the city.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Md Barekuzzaman yesterday granted the remand after Mufti Hannan was taken there amid tight security in and around the court at around 11:30am.

Investigation officer (IO) of the case Inspector Khandaker Miraj Billah of Khulna zonal office of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had prayed for seven days’ remand for the leader of the banned Islamist outfit.

Hannan was brought to Khulna District Jail from Kashimpur Jail at 8:50pm on Sunday.

Seven people were killed and 41 others injured, six of them seriously, in bomb attack at the time of Jumma prayers on October 8 in 1999 at Nirala Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat mosque.

The case recorded with Khulna Sadar police station on the following day was later transferred to CID as police failed to reveal real motive behind the bomb attack and arrest anyone in this connection.

Inspector Rawshan Ali of CID who was made first investigation officer of this case submitted final report to the court on November 23 in 2001.

The case was, however, revived on January 18 this year as prayed through a petition to the CMM’s court by CID Inspector Khandaker Miraj Billah, the present IO.

“Mufti Abdul Hannan is still accused in 58 criminal cases recorded with different police stations of the country. The cases include the one recorded in connection with planting a 76kg bomb in an attempt to kill Sheikh Hasina who was then leader of the opposition in parliament,” said Khulna Jail Superintendent Md Alam Khan.

When taken to the dock yesterday, Mufti Hannan protested granting of the remand prayer, saying, “I am already facing death penalty in a case. So, there is no need to torture me anymore in the name of remand.”

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=167697

Fresh attack on Ahmadiyyas

	Your Right To Know
Wednesday, October 20, 2010	Front Page

Fresh attack on Ahmadiyyas

4 houses vandalised in Tangail

Our Correspondent, Tangail

Two Ahmadiyyas were seriously injured and four houses vandalised in a fresh attack on the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat community by religious bigots in Ghatail upazila of Tangail on Monday afternoon.

The injured, Shamsul Haque Akanda, 60, and his wife Hasna Banu, 50, of Chandtara village of the upazila were taken to Tangail General Hospital. Hasna was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) a few hours later as her conditions became more critical.

“About 12 to 15 extremists led by one Sattar stormed into our house at 5:00pm and attacked us with sharp weapons,” Shamsul Haque told The Daily Star as he lay on his hospital bed.

“They also ransacked three other adjacent houses of our community,” he added.

Mominur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Ghatail Police Station, said Hasan Ali, son of the injured couple, has filed a case in this regard accusing 15 people though none have been arrested so far.

“Additional police personnel have been deployed at the village,” he added.

Earlier, in June and August this year, 20 people were injured and 30 houses including a makeshift mosque were damaged in a series of attacks by the bigots centering construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque in Chandtara village.

Following the attack and looting incidents in August, Khalilur Rahman Akanda, a long-suffering Ahmadiyya of the village, filed a case accusing 56 locals of harassing members of his community.

“Since filing the case, the accused had been threatening the local Ahmadiyyas saying that they will attack us again once they got bail,” said Rubel Hossain Akanda, nephew of the injured couple.

“Of the accused, 55 surrendered in a Tangail court and got bail,” he added.

A section of locals under the banner of “Imam Parishad” have long been campaigning against 40 Ahmadiyya families in the village.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founded the movement Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at on March 23, 1889, envisioning it to be a revitalisation of Islam. Ahmadiyyas consider themselves as Muslims and claim to practice Islam in its pristine form.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=159189

Secularism back

	Your Right To Know
Tuesday, October 5, 201	Front Page

Secularism back

HC says original constitution automatically restored thru' 5th amendment verdict; nobody can be forced to wear burqa, cap, dhuti

Staff Correspondent

The High Court yesterday ruled that Bangladesh is now a secular state since the original constitution of 1972 has been automatically restored following the Supreme Court judgement on the fifth amendment.

In this secular state, everybody has religious freedom, and therefore no man, woman or child can be forced to wear religious attires like burqa, cap and dhuti, the HC said in a verdict.

But nobody could be prohibited from wearing religious attires if he or she wishes to wear those, it said.

The court also directed the authorities to immediately issue a circular asking all educational institutions not to compel students to wear religious clothes.

A division bench of the HC came up with the judgement after hearing a suo moto rule issued by it on August 22 asking the government to explain why compelling women to wear religious attires should not be declared illegal.

The bench comprised of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain had issued the rule following a report published in a Bangla daily with the headline “Rani Bhabani Mohila College: Burqa Na Porle Ashte Mana” (Students of Rani Bhabani Women’s College not wearing veils are barred from entering the campus).

The August 22 report said principal of the college at Natore Mozammel Haque stopped cultural activities and sports at the college, and prohibited students not come to the campus without wearing burqa.

The HC observed that the four state principles including secularism, the main spirit of the Liberation War of the republic, have been re-established since the constitution of 1972 has been restored.

Some military rulers had illegally damaged the constitution of 1972 through martial law regulations, which are not recognised now, the judgement said.

The court directed the government to probe the allegations against the principal and take action.

But he should be kept on suspension during probe, it said.

Earlier, responding to the HC rule, the government had informed the court that it had issued a circular asking the authorities concerned not to compel women students to wear religious attire, and made Mozammel an officer on special duty (OSD).

Mozammel appeared before the HC bench yesterday as per its earlier order.

Secretaries to the ministries of home, education, social welfare and women affairs, and the principal have been made respondents to the court verdict.

SC lawyers Mahbub Shafique and KM Hafizul Alam argued before the court against compulsory wearing of religious attires.

Deputy Attorney General Nazrul Islam Talukder represented the government.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=157212

Tangail Ahmadiyyas left to live on nerves

	Your Right To Know
Wednesday, August 25, 2010	Front Page

Threat By Bigots

Tangail Ahmadiyyas left to live on nerves

Mirza Shakil and Rashidul Hasan

Male members of Ahmadiyya Muslim community at Chandtara village under Ghatail upazila of Tangail are afraid to go back in their houses following continuous threats by the religious bigots.

Women and children of some 32 Ahmadiyya families of the village are panic-stricken and living with food crisis and insecurity.

Irate at the move to rebuild an Ahmadiyya mosque in the area, religious bigots allegedly patronised by local BNP and Jamaat leaders vandalised and looted almost all houses of the Ahmadiyyas in a series of attacks on June 17, August 7 and 8 leaving 20 people of the community injured.

Under the banner of “Imam parishad”, a group of locals led by Imam Mufti Nasiruddin of Ghatail upazila parishad mosque has been campaigning against the Ahmadiyyas in the village for long.

Abu Taher Akanda, a member of the community told The Daily Star, “Local bigots hanged sign boards at different places in the village saying Kadianis [Ahmadiyyas] have no iman [faith]. They are infidel. No rickshaw puller should carry them and no shopkeeper should sell any items to them.”

Abu Taher, an Ahmadiyya member, said, “All male members except those who are elderly and sick are afraid to return home since the August 7 attack as they are facing continuous threats from the religious fanatics.”

Lutfar Rahman Akanda, another Ahmadiyya member, said among the male members of his community, only one seriously ill Hasem is now staying in his house while the rest are out.

Hasina Begum, wife of Mohir Uddin Akanda, said she is facing an acute food crisis as the supply of food given by the district administration after the August 8 incident has already run out.

“They [attackers] are giving us threats on phone that they will abduct us,” she said, adding, “We are also passing sleepless nights because of fear.”

Bilkis, wife of Abul Kasem Akanda, said Ahmadiyya women feel insecure as some of the attackers always move around and also peep into their houses at night despite the presence of police.

They alleged that a group of locals led by union parishad member Akbar Hossain attacked them, vandalised and looted their houses.

But Akbar denied this allegation saying, “Ahmadiyyas can say anything as they have no iman (faith) at all.”

Meantime, a four-member Ahmadiyya delegation led by its Missionary-in-Charge Abdul Awal Khan Chowdhury has met Tangail deputy commissioner and acting superintendent of police at their offices.

They sought permanent security for the Ahmadiyya males so that they can return home and live normal lives.

Ahmadiyya chief Awal said the district administration has assured them that necessary security measures will be taken in this regard.

Tangail Deputy Commissioner M Bazlul Karim Chowdhury said Ahmadiyyas could come back to their houses, as normalcy has returned to the village.

URL:: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=152200

Ahmadiyyas demand steps for security

	Your Right To Know
Wednesday, August 11, 2010	Front Page

Attack in Tangail

Ahmadiyyas demand steps for security

Staff Correspondent

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam’aat Bangladesh yesterday urged the government to take active steps to rehabilitate the ousted Ahmadiyyas in Tangail, guarantee their security so that they can perform daily activities safely.

Ten Ahmadiyyas were injured on Sunday when a group of enraged villagers attacked them at Chandtara village of Ghatail upazila when they were raising a mosque.

A section of religious extremists led by a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader are behind the assault, claimed the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam’aat leaders at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity. They also demanded exemplary punishment for the miscreants.

“Several incidents of harassment and assaults on Ahmadiyyas during the past three years are the sign of cruelty and brutality which is unprecedented,” said Meer Mobasher Ali, Naib National Ameer of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam’aat Bangladesh.

The Ameer said Tangail District Commissioner assured the community that action will be taken against the miscreants.

“But nothing was done and the miscreants returned at night and looted construction materials, food items and personal belongings of the Ahmadiyyas. Now the victims are starving,” he said.

Meer Mobasher Ali also requested the government to ensure their full citizen rights and remove the obstacles in erecting the mosque at Chandtara of Tangail.

According to the local police, on Sunday the mob also vandalised several houses and two poultry firms owned by the Ahmadiyya community.

The villagers earlier foiled another move to construct the mosque on June 17.

Local Muslims under the banner of ‘Imam Parishad’ also held procession and rally in the village against 40 Ahmadiyya families and also declared to resist the construction of the mosque at any cost.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad founded the movement Ahmadiyya Muslim Jam’aat (community) on March 23, 1889, envisioning it to be a revitalisation of Islam. Ahmadiyyas consider themselves Muslims and claim to practice Islam in its pristine form.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=150315

Violence in the name of religion

	Your Right To Know
Tuesday, August 10, 2010	Editorial
Editorial Violence in the name of religion Police should be more proactive against it

We have no words to condemn the cowardly act of vandalising and looting the houses belonging to the members of a religious minority group, the Ahmadiyas, by some local zealots at Chandtara village of Tangail district at dead of night. All right thinking people will abhor such an act of mindless violence.

So far as the reports on the incident go, the trouble-mongers came as soon as the law-enforcers deployed there had left the place and swooped on the sleeping villagers taking advantage of their helplessness.

The circumstances of the violence make it clear that common villagers had nothing to do with the incident. It was rather the handiwork of a miniscule minority.

They chose the cover of darkness to enact their macabre act of hatred and intolerance on unsuspecting villagers.

Evidently, such senseless violence on a section of the population has been committed in contravention of the constitution, which provides that people belonging to every religious group should be able to pursue their faith in Bangladesh. Oddly enough, the dastardly attack on a religious sect has occurred at a time when the incumbent government is emphasising the secular essence of the 1972 constitution.

However, such attack on this particular religious sect by a brand of bigots and obscurantists is not quite a new experience. In the past, too, we have a few instances of such sporadic violence in different parts of the country enacted by them. The repetition of the violence after a relative lull only lays bare the fact that nothing substantial has so far been done to protect them on a sustainable basis.

But is it not the government’s sacred duty to take all necessary measures to protect its citizens who are otherwise very peaceful and that their rights to exist and practice their belief are duly protected by the law?

The incident at Chandtara village in the Ghatail upazila of Tangail over construction of mosque by the community in question shows that the community is as insecure as ever. And the way the latest mayhem occurred does not also speak well of the police vigilance in the area under scrutiny.

The government, its home ministry in particular, should take serious note of Sunday’s episode in the Chandtara village of Tangail and take all necessary measures to ensure adequate security in the trouble-prone villages through enhanced police vigilance. Simultaneously, the trouble-mongers should be brought to book.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=150077

Bigots vandalise, loot Ahmadiyya houses

	Your Right To Know
Monday, August 9, 2010	Front Page

Bigots vandalise, loot Ahmadiyya houses

Our Correspondent, Tangail

Religious bigots vandalised and looted at least 10 houses of the Ahmadiyyas in Chandtara village of the district’s Ghatail upazila early yesterday.

Irate at the move to build an Ahmadiyya mosque in the area, they attacked the houses at around 2:00am and continued pillaging till 6:00am in the morning, local sources said.

Earlier on Saturday, 10 Ahmadiyyas were injured in an attack while returning from the foundation-laying ceremony of the mosque.

Abu Taher Akhand, a member of the Ahmadiyya community, told The Daily Star that paddy, furniture, livestock and household items worth around Tk 10 lakh were looted from his house.

“They made the attack after police left the village,” he said.

His family and dwellers of the other houses however managed to flee to safety, he added.

Mominur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Ghatail Police Station, confirmed the incident, and said two cases had been filed in this connection.

M Bazlul Karim Chowdhury, deputy commissioner of Tangail, visited the village yesterday morning and talked to the Ahmadiyyas and others of the village.

He told The Daily Star that construction of the mosque has been suspended.

“Additional policemen will be deployed in the village to avert further violence,” he added.

A section of locals under the banner of “Imam Parishad” have long been campaigning against 40 Ahmadiyya families in the village.

On June 17, they thwarted another move to start building the planned Ahmadiyya mosque.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=150004

Imperatives of interfaith tolerance

---Daily Star, Bangladesh

Friday, May 7, 2010

Point Counterpoint

Imperatives of interfaith tolerance

Syed Rezaul Karim

A few days ago, national dailies reported that an Ahmadiya woman was denied a burial place in the Nakhalpara graveyard in Dhaka because she belonged to the Ahmadiya community. The woman used to live in the Nakhalpara area and it was her Sunni Muslim neighbours who barred her burial in the locality. Her body had to be carried to a graveyard at Tejgaon, where she found an eternal resting place.

This social and religious intolerance and hostility is symptomatic of a society unaware of the true spirit of Islam. Tolerance, in essence, means to give consideration to others. In social life friction between people does occur in every society, and differences arising from religion, culture, tradition and personal tastes persist.

But the truly pious persons look upon people with love and compassion. There is a well- known Hadith narrated by Jabir Bin Abdullah. The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said: “He who is not merciful to others, will not be treated mercifully ( Bukhari).“

The elements that make peace in a society in the spirit of Islamic tradition are compassion, forgiveness and respect for all. There is a very significant and interesting story recorded by Al- Bukhari in this regard. The Prophet of Islam once saw a funeral passing by in a street in Medina. The Prophet was seated at that time. On seeing the funeral, the Prophet stood up in respect. At this one of the companions said: “O Prophet, it was the funeral of a Jew.” The Prophet replied: “Was he not a human being?“ What is meant here is that every human being is worthy of respect.

There may be differences of opinion among people regarding religion and culture but everyone has to respect the sanctity of the other. Allah has stressed the importance of following the Prophet (peace be upon him), revealing that His love of a person and His forgiveness of his /her sins depend on him/her following the Prophet.

The patent hostility towards the Ahmadiyas on the part of some Sunni Muslims stems from their (Ahmadiya’s) belief that Mirza Golam Ahmad (1835-1909) of Qadiyan was a divine reformer, a messiah and prophet within the fold of Islam. This belief is rejected as blasphemy by Sunnis and Shias alike.

They point out that the holy Koran is categorical in stating that “prophethood” has been sealed with the advent of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), who is the last in the chain of prophets. However, the Ahmadiyas also believe in the oneness of God, in the Koran and Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).

The Koranic revelation to the Prophet with regard to religious divisions can be gleaned from the following passage of Sura Anam: “Those who have made divisions in their religion and became sects, thou art not of them in anything; their affair is unto God, then He will tell them what they have been doing. Whoso brings a good deed shall have ten the like of it; and whoso brings an evil deed shall only be recompensed the like of it; they shall not be wronged (verse 159/160).”

To deny a place of burial to a human being is an insult to humanity. The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said: “All God’s creatures are his family, and he is the most beloved of God who trieth to do most good to God’s creatures.”

The famous poet-philosopher Hazrat Sheikh Sadi composed a beautiful couplet on the humanity of man: “The children of Adam are limbs to each other, having been created from one essence.”

Sometimes, in blind religious zeal and emotion, some zealots call the Ahmadiyas Kafirs. But one should be reminded of what our Prophet said about such reckless sayings. Hazrat Abu Jaar (peace be upon him) said that he heard the Prophet saying: “No man shall call another man Fasik or Kafir, because if he or she is not really so, the allegation will fall on the person who said so.”

“Everyone is divinely furthered in accordance with his character,” said the Prophet.

From the above sayings of the Prophet and the Koranic admonitions, it should be understood that intolerance to human beings in the name of religion, caste or sect is not in the traditions of Islam. God has laid the earth open for every class or creed of people, whether they believe in Him or not.

We would like to see Bangladesh as a tolerant and humane society where different religious and ethnic groups can coexist with their distinctive faiths and cultures. Freedom to practice one’s own religion unfettered by the majority’s commanding faith is a civilised norm, and an essential ingredient for democratic dispensation. Let God’s mercy be on all living creatures.

We would like to conclude with seven pieces of advice from Maulana Jalaluddin Rumi, a Sufi saint and the greatest mystic poet of the world. He admonishes:

“In generosity and helping others, be like a river.
In compassion and grace be like the sun.
In concealing other’s faults, be like the night.
In anger and fury, be like the dead.
In modesty and humility, be like the earth.
In tolerance, be like the sea,
Either appear as you are or be as you look.”

Syed Rezaul Karim is an ex-MD of Hoechst Bangladesh.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=137296

Burial barred as she was Ahmadiyya

---The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Monday, April 26, 2010 | Front Page

Burial barred as she was Ahmadiyya
Staff Correspondent

The devotees of a mosque yesterday obstructed the burial of an elderly woman of Ahmadiyya community at a graveyard in the city’s Tejgaon Industrial area.

The body of Akimunnesa, 62, a resident of East Nakhalpara, was finally buried in a graveyard near Mohakhali bus terminal amid resistance from the devotees of Rahim Metal Jam-e-Mosque in the area.

Rafiq Ahmed, brother of the deceased, said they took the body to the graveyard of the mosque where their grand parents had been buried.

But the devotees and the people of the mosque committee barred them from burying the body saying Ahmadiyyas are not Muslim and the body of a non-Muslim could not be buried there, he added.

Devotees told reporters that the graveyard is used for the burial of the bodies of the Muslim community but not for non-Muslims.

Akimunnesa died as bricks from the rooftop of a six-storey building at East Nakhalpara fell on her head around 8:30pm on Saturday.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=135940

Radicals obstruct Ahmadiyya burial

---bdnews24.com, Bangladesh

4:52 pm BdST, Monday, Apr 26, 2010

Radicals obstruct Ahmadiyya burial

Dhaka, Apr 25 (bdnews24.com) — Radical Islamists belonging to the Khatme Nabuwat Movement obstructed the burial of a Ahmadiyya on Sunday.

The incident took place at Nakhalpara of Tejgaon, when a grave had been prepared for the burial at the local Rahim Metal Jame Masjid graveyard.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat followers, commonly called Ahmadiyya, are not considered proper Muslims by the Khatme Nabuwat, because of their belief that the world will see another prophet after Muhammad, by the name of Ahmed.

Omar Faruk, OC of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station, told bdnews24.com the relatives of the deceased had dug a grave.

But almost at the end of their work, Khatme Nabuwat supporters, including those from a madrassah adjacent to the graveyard protested against the burial.

The police went to the spot upon being informed as the situation became unpleasant.

After a number of incidents throughout the day, body of Akimun Nesa was buried in the graveyard of Roads and Highways at Nakhalpara under police cordon, Faruk said.

Her son, Nadim Hassan, alleged that his mother’s burial was also protested at the Roads and Highways graveyard.

Nadim said a Khatme Nabuwat procession headed towards the burial party chanting slogans against the burial.

The body was finally buried with the help of councillor of ward 38, he said.

URL: www.bdnews24.com/details.php?id=159314&cid=2

Govt urged to work with all parties

---The Daily Star, Bangladesh

Sunday, March 28, 2010 | Front Page

Govt urged to work with all parties
US House of Representatives passes resolution

Unb, Washington

In a resolution passed on Thursday, the US House of Representatives urged the Bangladesh government to work together with all political leaders to continue and deepen reconciliation.

Congressman Joseph Crowley, the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Bangladesh, spearheaded passage of the resolution expressing the US House of Representatives’ support for Bangladesh’s return to democracy.

“Bangladesh has become an important partner of the United States. Even as it faces challenges with serious poverty, threats from climate change and extremism, the Bangladeshi people have shown remarkable resilience, creativity and principle,” Crowley said at the US House of Representatives.

Sponsoring the resolution in the House to congratulate Bangladesh on achieving democracy, he said, “This is exactly the kind of country the United States ought to work with and do more to support, not because the situation on the ground is perfect, but because by working together we have clearly created a better path forward.”

“I hope the international community will more quickly wake up to the positive changes Bangladesh has made,” Crowley added.

The resolution was passed by the US House of Representatives by a vote of 380 to 7.

“I rise in strong support of House Resolution 1215, a measure to honour Bangladesh’s return to democracy. I would like to thank Chairman Berman and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen for their support of this resolution. I would also like to thank the gentleman from California, Congressman Royce, for leading this effort with me, along with other members of the House Caucus on Bangladesh,” Crowley said.

The resolution also urged the Bangladesh government to ensure the rights of religious and ethnic minorities, including Hindus and the Ahmadiya community.

It said Bangladesh is “making progress” to join the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US aid programme that has granted billions of dollars to nations deemed as respecting political and economic freedom.

Crowley noted that a year and a half ago, the US Congress passed a resolution out of fear that Bangladesh was “creeping toward authoritarianism” after the military took charge in 2006 and cancelled elections.

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