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

Seditious comments of the radical clergies

VOLUME # 6, ISSUE # 12, DHAKA, MARCH 16, 2011

Seditious comments of the radical clergies

By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
March 16, 2011

Notorious Islamist leader Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini.

Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini and Moulana Rezaul Karim are known as notorious Jihadists in Bangladesh. They not only give instigations to Jihad, but also are actively involved in recruiting locals and sending them to various countries in the world for taking part in Jihadist notoriety. Amini, a teacher with Jamia Qurania Arabia Madrassa at Lalbagh area in Dhaka is the son-in-law of late Moulana Mohammed Ullah aka Hafezzi Huzur. Since past few decades, Fazlul Huq Amini is involved in giving provocative lectures to Muslim youths with the agenda of poisoning their minds against United States, the West, Israel, India, Christians and Jews. Few years back, in a number of open rallies and public meetings in Bangladesh, Amini and his follower chanted slogan “We shall be Talibans – Bangla will be Afghan”.

Both Amini and Karim are categorically engaged in justifying Jihad and killing of non-Muslims as holy tasks for Muslims. They also are gaining strength with the goal of transforming Bangladesh into a Sharia state. Maulana Rezaul Karim runs a residential madrassa at Charmonai, southern part of Bangladesh. During the war hundreds of Hindu and non-Muslim women were violated by the Pakistani troops inside the campus of the Madrassa. His father, late Moulana Fazlul Karim is known as one of the notorious war criminals in Bangladesh. Fazlul Karim was also one of the top funders and patrons of anti-Ahmadiya activities inside Bangladesh, where Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini acted as virtual second-in-command of this man. During the atrocious activities of anti-Ahmadiya groups in Bangladesh, notorieties continues of this particular religious sect in the country as well as dozens of Ahmadiya mosques were attacked and demolished.

Recently, these two clergies made extremely seditious and offensive statements against Bangladesh in a public meeting, which was organized to press demand to lift High Court’s ban on Fatwa. They said, “if the ruling of the High Court banning Fatwa is upheld by the Supreme Court [judgement in this issue is expected to be declared on Marsh 21, 2011], we shall go for sacrificing lives en messe”.

The said, “hundreds and thousands of people will lay seize at the Supreme Court premises on march 21, 2011, when the court gives its judgement. And if any anti Islam ruling is given [upholding the ban on Fatwa], we shall seize the Prime Minister’s office, parliament and the Supreme Court”.

The clergies said, they want Bangladesh to be ruled under Sharia law.

Moulana Rezaul Karim said, “We shall see, how many people police can kill”. We shall color the streets with human blood if any decision against Islam is taken by the government or the judiciary in the country”.

Following this statement, the Muslim clergies are now engaged in collecting names of people who would be willing to sacrifice lives right from March 21, if the ban on Fatwa is continues. It may be mentioned here that, Moulana Rezaul Karim has a few million of supporters, while Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini is enjoying the status of a local version of Osama Bin Laden with his millions of followers and supporters within the Koranic madrassas in Bangladesh. Sensing the degree of severe consequence and extreme risk of lives of the civilians of the country, following the recent statement of these clergies, a Write Petition has already been filed with Bangladesh Supreme Court on March 13, 2011 bringing attention of the court to such activities of Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini and Moulana Rezaul Karim. Writ petition number: 2237. The matter was already raised before the court and the judge decided to hear the issue in presence of the Attorney General.

Meanwhile, hearing the news of this writ petition, Moulana Rezaul Karim in a public meeting held at the auditorium of Bangladesh Supreme Court on March 15, 2011 said, “Enemies of Islam are now conspiring to tarnish the image of Muslims and they are also actively working in seeing fatwa to be banned in the country”.

Karim said, “Enemies of Islam shall be given proper lesson in due course of time”.

It is important to mention here that, anticipating Supreme Court’s decision against fatwa, these Islamist clergies have already called for dawn-to-dusk general strike in Bangladesh on April 4. Notorious Islamist groups like Hizbut Tahrir and Hizbut Towhid have extended support to this general strike and other activities of the Islamist clergies in favor of Sharia law.

In a recent statement published at their website, the leader of Hizbut Towhid, Bayejid Khan Panni said, “Stay alert against the enemies of Islam and Judeo-Christian agents. We must wage war against these elements, to uphold the glory of Islam”.

URL: www.weeklyblitz.net/1330/seditious-comments-of-the-radical-clergies

BANGLADESH: Government fails to protect freedom of religion and assembly of Ahmadiyya community

Asian Human Rights Commission — Urgent Appeals

BANGLADESH: Government fails to protect freedom of religion and assembly of Ahmadiyya community

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION — URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-042-2011
22 February 2011

BANGLADESH: Government fails to protect freedom of religion and assembly of Ahmadiyya community

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that the administrative authorities of Gazipur district cancelled permission for the holding of the 87th Annual Convention of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Bangladesh, a religious community having conflicting identity with the majority Muslims, on 6 February 2011 in a sudden decision without any prior notice. The annual convention of the community was scheduled for February 6 to 8. The police evacuated the Ahamadiya while the Deputy Commissioner of the district imposed a ban on any public gathering at the venue for which the community had paid all the necessary fees following the procedure. The government has failed to protect the right to freedom of religion and assembly of the community.

CASE DETAILS: (Based on interviews with the community, witnesses and examination of relevant documents)

The “Ahmadiya Muslim Jama’at, Bangladesh”, a religious community having a conflicting identity with the majority Muslims in Bangladesh and other parts of the world, organised its 87th Annual Convention targeting the 6 to 8 February 2011. Accordingly, on 2 January 2011, the General Secretary of the Ahmadiya community Mr. Mohammad Jahidur Rahman booked the venue at the Rover Scouts Camping Centre’s ground at Bahadurpur, under the jurisdiction of the Joydevpur police station in Gazipur district.

As part of the procedure the community leaders sought permission from the local administration, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of the Gazipur district, and requested the Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police to tighten the security of the venue during the convention.

On 24 January, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gazipur district issued a letter granting permission for the proposed convention at the booked venue at the Bahadurpur Rover Scout Camping Ground for the three days’ convention. The community made the necessary payments in advance to the authorities of the venue after the permission from the Gazipur district administration was granted for hosting the programme.

On 5 February, the senior leaders of the community met the DC Md. Kamal Uddin Talukder and the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Joydevpur Circle Mr. Nuruzzaman of the Gazipur district in person and presented them each with the Holy Qura’an. At that time the officials gave no indication of any fear of the deterioration of the law and order or objection of the local inhabitants.

By the morning of 6 February, on the first day of the three day convention, around eight thousand followers arrived in the venue while three thousand people were about to join within a few hours (Please see the photo-1 and photo-2 of the venue here).

At around 10am an ASP named Mr. Zaman came in force to their venue and asked them to leave the place immediately by saying that the Office of the DC of Gazipur cancelled permission, which had been granted 13 days earlier, and imposed Section 144 (of the Code of Criminal Procedure-1898) following “objection from the local people” regarding the programme of the Ahmadiyya community (See photo here). The police, behaving very rudely, switched off the sound system during the ongoing ceremony.

In the midst of the police pressure for evacuating the venue, Mr. Motahar Ahamed Chowdhury, an executive committee member of the Ahmadiyya community, called on the cell phone no. +880173003489 of the DC, who confirmed that he cancelled the permission by saying that he was “surrounded” by Moulanas to cancel the permission.

A delegation of the Ahmadiyya community communicated with the top level decision-makers of the government, however, the influential authorities suggested the delegation to “fix another date” without helping the community to hold to its scheduled programme. The community leaders did not have an alternative but postponing their religious programme as a result of the administrative decision over the cancellation.

Following repeated requests from the Ahmadiyya community’s leaders to provide an official prove regarding the cancellation of their programme the Gazipur district administration gave two official circulars at around 5pm on 6 February. In the official circular, signed by the DC of Gazipur district Mr. Md. Kamal Uddin Talukder, who is the ex-officio District Magistrate, claimed that at 12 noon on 6 February cancelled the permission by the power bestowed upon him according to Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure-1898. Mr. Md. Kamal Uddin Talukder claims that “due to the fear of deterioration of the law and order in the area all movement, entry, activities against the law and order was ordered banned until any further order”. The circular also mentioned that “any person except a member of the law-enforcing agent violates the order shall be liable for punishment under Section 188 of the Penal Code” (of 1860).

The Ahmadiyya community’s head of the convention organizing committee Mir Mobassher Ali claims in a written statement that the host community’s leaders followed due process to organise their annual convention. As a “non-political and peace-loving community” they selected an isolated place as their venue, which is less-populated and inaccessible to the outsiders, in order to hold comprehensive discussions on their religious norms, standards and feelings among the followers to be gathered from all parts of the country. The local people, including a Member of Parliament and other local government bodies, were cooperating with them and the atmosphere was absolutely non-violent on the eve of the convention. Mir Mobassher alleges that the Gazipur district administration cancelled the permission without any reasonable ground or visible symptom in favour of the cancellation as claimed that there was “fear of deterioration of the law and order in the area”.

The leaders of the community alleges that “the local administration surrendered to a segment of the fundamentalist” denying their constitutionally enshrined right. They claim that around fifty persons chanted slogans demanding the cancellation of the convention (Ahmadiyya) while five Mollahs met the DC and insisted that he impose Section 144 (of the Code of Criminal Procedure-1898).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Freedom of religion is protected as one of the fundamental rights of the citizens in the Constitution of Bangladesh. Article 41 (1) enshrines freedom of religion, as it reads:

“Subject to law, public order and morality -

(a)	every citizen has the right to profess, practice or propagate any religion;
(b)	every religious community or denomination has the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions.”

Besides, any discrimination is prohibited in the constitution as fundamental rights. The Article 28 (1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh reads:

“The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race caste, sex or place of birth”.

Bangladesh is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). According to Article 18 of the ICCPR,

“Subject to law, public order and morality -

“1.	Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and freedom, either individually or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching.
2.	No one shall be subject to coercion which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.
3.	Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary to protect public safety, order, health, or morals or the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.
4.	The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to have respect for the liberty of parents and, when applicable, legal guardians to ensure the religious and moral education of their children in conformity with their own convictions.”

Moreover, the Constitution of Bangladesh in Article 37 enshrines the freedom of assembly, which reads:

“Every citizen shall have the right to assemble and to participate in public meetings and processions peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of public order health.”

According to Article 21 of the ICCPR:

“The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”

As a State-party to the ICCPR and due to specific provision of the country’s constitution Bangladesh has international and constitutional obligation to protect the rights of the religious minority communities.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT:

The action of the Gazipur district administration raises question as to why the authority suddenly cancelled the permission for holding the convention of the Ahmadiyya community, which initiated the process more than a month before the latter’s proposed programme. The authorities officially conduct an intelligence survey and verification regarding the proposed public meetings and gatherings prior to granting permission to the hosts of the programme. In this case if it is generally understood that the Gazipur district authority did their job following the required procedure, then the question of the credibility comes due to the sudden cancellation of the programme.

The police arrived at the venue at 10am to evacuate the venue occupied by the organizers and participants of the Ahmadiyya community by informing that the programme had been cancelled by the administration. On the contrary, the ex-officio District Magistrate of Gazipur claims in his official circular that “at 12 noon on 6 February” the order had been issued regarding restriction on entry, movement and gathering at the Rover Scout Camping ground until further order. It raises question that whether the authority intervened into the programme prior to passing the order or the police abused their power due any influence or not?

Moreover, the failure of the decision-making authorities of the government to ensure necessary security arrangements to allow the Ahmadiyya community to hold its pre-scheduled programme represents the mindset of the government regarding the freedom of the religious minority communities in the country.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write to the authorities below asking that they immediately investigate into the case by competent officials and ensure the right to freedom of religion and assembly be guaranteed immediately. Those found to have been involved in the cancellation process without a reasonable ground must be prosecuted without delay. The community must be afforded adequate compensation and protection from any further harassment and threats from state and non-state agents.

Please note that the Asian Human Rights Commission has written separate letters to the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues requesting his prompt interventions in this case.

To support this appeal, please click here:

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

BANGLADESH: Right to freedom of religion and public assembly of Ahmadiyya community must be protected

Name of victim: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Bangladesh

Names of the alleged perpetrators:
1.	Mr. Md. Kamal Uddin Talukder, Deputy Commissioner of Gazipur district
2.	Mr. Nuruzzaman, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of the Joydevpur Circle, Gazipur district
4.	Mr. Zaman, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Gazipur district
5.	Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Joydevpur police station, Gazipur district

Date of incident: 6 February 2011
Place of incident: Rover Scout Camping Centre, Gazipur

I am writing to raise my voice regarding the cancellation of the 87th Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Bangladesh in a sudden manner on 6 February 2011 on the first day of a three day long programme. The actions of the Gazipur district and police administration appear to be a complete failure of the government to protect the freedom of religion and assembly without any substantial reason.

I have received information that the community booked a venue at the Rover Scouts Camping Centre’s ground at Bahadurpur, under the jurisdiction of the Joydevpur police station in Gazipur district. Following the procedure the community leaders sought permission from the Deputy Commissioner of the Gazipur district as the local administrative authority. They also requested the Inspector General of the Bangladesh Police to tighten the security of the venue during the convention.

On 24 January, the Office of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Gazipur district granted permission for the proposed convention at the booked venue at the Bahadurpur Rover Scout Camping Ground for the three day convention. The community made necessary payments as advance to the authorities of the venue after the permission from the Gazipur district administration for hosting the programme.

On 5 February, the senior leaders of the community met the DC Md. Kamal Uddin Talukder and the Additional Superintendent of Police Mr. Nuruzzaman of the Gazipur district in person and presented them the Holy Qura’an each. At that time the officials did not talk about any fear of deterioration of the law and order or objection of the local inhabitants.

By the morning of 6 February around eight thousand followers arrived in the venue while three thousand people were about to join within few hours. It has been alleged by the community that at around 10am an Assistant Superintendent of Police named Mr. Zaman came in force to their venue and asked them to leave the place immediately by saying that “the local inhabitants objected” the programme of the Ahmadiyya community. The police, behaving very rudely, switched off the sound system during the ongoing ceremony.

In the midst of the police pressure for evacuating the venue, Mr. Motahar Ahamed Chowdhury, an executive committee member of the Ahmadiyya community, called on the cell phone no. +880173003489 of the DC. I have been informed that the DC confirmed that he cancelled the permission by saying that he was “surrounded” by Moulanas to cancel the permission, which means that the administration exercises legal power arbitrarily instead of reasonable and lawful grounds.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has informed me that it observed that the police arrived at the venue at 10am to evacuate the venue occupied by the organizers and participants of the Ahmadiyya community by informing that the programme had been cancelled by the administration. On the contrary, the ex-officio District Magistrate of Gazipur claims in his official circular that “at 12 noon on 6 February” the order had been issued regarding restriction on entry, movement and gathering at the Rover Scout Camping ground until further order. It raises question that whether the authority intervened into the programme prior to passing the order or the police abused their power due any influence or not?

According to the information the selected venue for the programme was an isolated place, which is less-populated and inaccessible to the outsiders, in order to hold comprehensive discussions on their religious norms, standards and feelings among the followers to be gathered from all parts of the country. The local people, including Member of Parliament and other local government bodies, were cooperating with them and the atmosphere was non-violent on the eve of the convention.

I have learned that a delegation of the Ahmadiyya community communicated with the top level decision-makers of the government, however, the influential authorities suggested the delegation to “fix another date” without helping the community to hold to the scheduled programme.

I am aware that freedom of religion is protected as one of the fundamental rights of the citizens in the Constitution of Bangladesh under Article 41 (1).

I am also aware that any discrimination is prohibited in the constitution as fundamental rights according to Article 28 (1) of the Constitution of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and has international obligation to protect the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion in compliance with Article 18 of the ICCPR.

While the Constitution of Bangladesh in Article 37 enshrines the freedom of assembly it very shocking that the government fails to protect the constitutional rights of its citizens as it also fails to fulfill its international obligation under Article 21 of the ICCPR.

The action of the Gazipur district administration raises question that why the authority suddenly cancelled the permission of holding the convention of the Ahmadiyya community, which initiated the process more than a month before the latter’s proposed programme. The authorities conduct intelligence survey and verification regarding the proposed public meetings and gatherings prior to granting permission to the hosts of the programme. In this case if it is generally understood that the Gazipur district authority did their job following the required procedure, then the question of the credibility comes due the cancellation of the programme all of a sudden.

Moreover, the failure of the decision-making authorities of the government to ensure necessary security arrangements to allow the Ahmadiyya community to hold its pre-scheduled programme represents the mindset of the government regarding the freedom of the religious minority communities in the country.

The authorities must initiate a thorough investigation regarding the matter and take necessary lawful actions against the alleged perpetrators immediately. The community must be compensated for the loss due to the governmental decisions and should immediately be allowed to hold their programmes with freedom in compliance with the international standards.

The religious tolerance is a must in a democracy, which Bangladesh claims to be before the international community, and the government can never deny its constitutional obligation to protect the right to freedom of religion and public assembly of all citizens of the country beyond any discrimination.

I look forward for your urgent intervention into this matter.

Yours sincerely,

______________________
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mrs. Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh
Office of the Prime Minister
Tejgaon, Dhaka
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 811 3244 / 3243 / 1015 / 1490
Tel: +880 2 882 816 079 / 988 8677
E-mail: pm@pmo.gov.bd or ps1topm@pmo.gov.bd or psecy@pmo.gov.bd

2. Mr. A. B. M. Khairul Haque
Chief Justice
Supreme Court of Bangladesh
Supreme Court Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 5058 /+880 2 7161344
Tel: +880 2 956 2792
E-mail: chief@bdcom.com or supremec@bdcom.com

3. Barrister Shafique Ahmed
Minister
Ministry of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 7160627 (O)
Fax: +880 2 7168557 (O)
Email: info@minlaw.gov.bd

4. Ms. Sahara Khatun MP
Minister
Ministry of Home Affairs
Bangladesh Secretariat
Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 7169069 (O)
Fax: +880 2 7160405, 880 2 7164788 (O)
E-mail: minister@mha.gov.bd

5. Mr. Mahbubey Alam
Attorney General of Bangladesh
Office of the Attorney General
Supreme Court Annex Building
Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 1568
Tel: +880 2 956 2868

6. Prof. Mizanur Rahman
Chairman
National Human Rights Commission
6/3 Lalmatia, Block-D
Dhaka-1207
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 9137740
Fax: +880 2 9137743
E-mail: nhrc.bd@gmail.com

7. Mr. Hassan Mahmud Khandker
Inspector General of Police (IGP)
Bangladesh Police
Police Headquarters'
Fulbaria, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Fax: +880 2 956 3362 / 956 3363
Tel: +880 2 956 2054 / +880 2 717 6451 / +880 2 717 6677
E-mail: ig@police.gov.bd

8. Mr. Asaduzzaman Mian
Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG)
Dhaka Range
Office of the DIG of Dhaka Range
Shegun Bagicha, Ramna, Dhaka-1000
BANGLADESH
Tel: +880 2 8353926 (O)
Fax: +880 2 8315838 (O)
E-mail: digdhaka@police.gov.bd

Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)

URL: www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2010/3670/

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

Bigots foil Ahmadiyya convention

	Your Right To Know
Monday, February 7, 2011	Front Page

Bigots foil Ahmadiyya convention

Staff Report

In the wake of protests from religious bigots, Gazipur district administration yesterday prevented the 87th annual convention of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat slapping section-144 in and around the venue.

Armed police were deployed at Bahadurpur Scout Training Camp where over 8,000 followers of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat gathered for the three-day annual convention.

Many of them broke down in tears hearing that they had to leave without taking part.

“Our democratic rights have been taken away due to threats from some madrasa people,” said Mir Mobasher Ali, a member of the convention organising committee.

“But we are respectful to the law, so we have accepted the government’s order,” he said.

According to Mizanur Rahman, additional superintendent of police Gazipur, a group of disgruntled locals presented a memorandum to the district administration yesterday demanding that the permit for the convention be revoked.

The SP said Mawlana Mostafa, Mawlana Sharfuddin and Mufti Ataur Rahman were present among others.

The district administration revoked the permit. And when violence was imminent, the authorities decided to impose section-144 in two square kilometres surrounding the venue, he said.

Section-144 does not allow any kind of public gathering.

Thousands of people were stuck inside the venue after the declaration of section-144, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat leaders said.

Over 3,000 people coming from different parts of the country also had to return, they added.

According to Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat leaders, they rented Bahadurpur Scout Training Camp for three days. The location was picked since it was away from locality so problems with local religious bigots could be averted, they said.

The programme, usually held at their national headquarters in Bakshibazar, was moved to Gazipur to accommodate more people.

For over a decade, followers of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat have been facing abuse and aggression of religious bigots across the country. Many of their houses have been looted from time to time and some have even been killed.

URL: www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=173186

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

A beleaguered minority

Dhaka, Monday, August 9, 2010

A beleaguered minority

The minority Ahmadiyya community again came under attack of a section of Islamist zealots. Nine members of the Ahmadiyya community were among the 11 injured in the clashes which took place in the village Chantara in Jamuria union in Ghatail upazila of Tangail on Saturday. Clashes ensued over construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque in the village. A New Age report quoting the police said Sunni neighbours gathered at the spot and attacked the Ahmadiyyas with spears and sticks and resisted construction of their mosque in their locality. Two poultry farms belonging to Ahmadiyya families were also damaged.

   The Ahmadiyyas remain a beleaguered community. They are prevented from practising their faith by bands of fanatics who literally go headhunting for the minority people with the slogans like ‘bring weapons and axes and behead the Ahmadiyyas.’ Less than two months ago in the same Chanatara village a marauding group of intolerant bigots were trying to create disturbance. In 2006 a similar incident was created in Ashkona in north Dhaka which drew the attention of Amnesty International. In April 2010 the body Akimunnessa, a 62-year-old woman who professed the Ahamadiyya faith, was denied burial in the Muslim graveyard in Tejgaon in the capital Dhaka. In March in Brahmanbaria zealots under the banner of Khatme Nabuwat tried to stop the two-day convention of the Ahmadiyyas. The local administration failing to deal with the fanatics frontally had to give some space to them by imposing severe and humiliating restrictions on the way the convention was to be conducted. The government initiated a ban on Ahmadiyya publications which was later suspended by the court.

   We have no comment on the correctness or otherwise of religious doctrines of the Ahmadiyyas, or those of their opponents. Nor do we like to sermonise whether they fall within or outside the fold of Islam. Religious disputation is a matter to be left to religious scholars. But victimisation of the Ahmadiyyas is an open challenge to human right and freedom of religion. The state should not concede any ground to those out to practise religious coercion. The fear is that after the militant fundamentalist groups are marginalised due to the progressive and secular forces gaining the upper hand, the former may stoke up new religious hostility to fuel their activism and draw attention to themselves. On Saturday in the village in Ghatail the law enforcers did intervene to save the beleaguered minorities and we must record our appreciation at the government’s action without which the situation might have deteriorated further. But the government has not yet affirmed its resolute stand on religious freedom and rights of the minorities. After the anti-Ahmadiyya incidents one after another the government did not come out with a clear declaration in this regard. The hate speeches against Ahmadiyyas were not banned. Concession and appeasement in the wrong place can endanger democratic values.

URL: www.newagebd.com/2010/aug/09/edit.html

10 more Ahmadiyya houses vandalised

Dhaka, Monday, August 9, 2010

10 more Ahmadiyya houses vandalised

Our Correspondent. Tangail

Local Sunnis at a place in Tangail vandalised at least 10 houses of Ahmadiyya people about 2:00am Sunday after a similar attack centring on the construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque on Saturday afternoon.

   Eleven houses of Ahmadiyya people were vandalised in the Saturday afternoon attack at Jamuria of Ghatail, about 50km off the Tangail town. The Sunnis attacked with sharp weapons the Ahmadiyyas when they were trying to construct a mosque.

   At least nine Ahmadiyyas and two Sunnis were injured in the attack and 15 houses of the Ahmadiyas and two poultry farms were damaged.

   The Ghatail police officer-in-charge, Md Mominul Islam, said more than 500 Sunnis in the second attack early Sunday vandalised 10 Ahmadiyya houses.

   The Ahmadiyyas, who kept awake at night after the attack in the afternoon, however, survived the attack as they left the place on hearing the noise of the gathering of the Sunnis, he said.

   Motahar Hossen, whose house was destroyed at night by the Sunnis, said, ‘We became worried after the first attack and were afraid we could be attacked again.’

   ‘When we heard the noise of their gathering at night, we started to leave the place. We came back to our village early in the morning and saw that 10 of our houses were destroyed,’ he said.

   ‘When we asked for police help during the first attack, the police assured us of looking into the matter. If the police had been deployed at the place for the night, the incident could have been avoided,’ he said.

   The Tangail deputy commissioner, M Bajlul Karim Chowdhury, and additional police superintendent Jamil Hasan, visited the spot later in the day and deployed policemen there to stave off further trouble.

URL: www.newagebd.com/2010/aug/09/nat.html

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

11 injured over construction of Ahmadiyya mosque in a Tangail village

Dhaka, Sunday, August 8, 2010

11 injured over construction of Ahmadiyya mosque in a Tangail village

Our Correspondent. Tangail

At least 11 persons, nine of them Ahmadiyyas and two Sunnis, were injured and 15 houses of Kadiani families were damaged when the Sunni neighbours resisted the construction of an Ahmadiyya mosque at Chantara, a village under Jamuria union in Ghatail upazila, about 50 kilometres north of Tangail district town Saturday afternoon.

Police said that two poultry farms, each having 200 chickens, belonging to Ahmadiyya families, were damaged as well.

According to the police it all began when the Sunni neighbours gathered there and attacked the Ahmadiyyas with sticks and spears and resisted the construction of their mosque in the locality.

Ghatail police station officer-in-charge Mominul Islam told New Age that the incident took the place after the Ahmadiyyas had laid the corner stone of the mosque in the presence of their leaders from Dhaka.

Police said that the Ahmadiyyas tried to defend themselves when two Sunnis received minor injuries.

Among the injured were five central leaders of Ahmadiyyas, one of them seriously, who had gone to the village for laying the corner stone of the mosque, and four local Ahmadiyyas.

About 30 Ahmadiyya families live in the village.

The additional superintendent of police, AKM Masud rushed to the spot from the district headquarters leading a police detachment and brought the situation under control.

Mominul Islam said that as tension gripped the village, police have been deployed in the area to foil any destructive activities.

URL: www.newagebd.com/2010/aug/08/front.html#17

10 hurt in attack on Ahmadiyyas

	Your Right To Know
Sunday, August 8, 2010	Front Page

Mosque Construction

10 hurt in attack on Ahmadiyyas

Our Correspondent, Tangail

Ten Ahmadiyyas were injured yesterday when a group of enraged villagers attacked them at Chandtara village of Ghatail upazila yesterday afternoon.

The followers of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Bangladesh came under attack at 2:00pm after inaugurating the construction works of a mosque at Akandapara, local sources said.

The injured were Jafarullah, Mozibor, Halim, Saidur, Arif, Motaher, Abdul Hai and Ibrahim Hossain. Identities of the two other victims could not be ascertained. The injured were sent to Tangail and Dhaka for treatment.

Angered at the Ahmadiyaa move to raise a mosque, the mob attacked them with brick chips and bamboo sticks. They also vandalised several houses and two poultry firms owned by the Ahmadiyya community, police sources said.

A police team from Ghatail Police Station rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mominur Rahman confirmed the incident. “No one was arrested and no case was filed in this regard till 5:15pm,” added the OC.

The villagers of the same locality in an attack on June 17 foiled another move to construct the mosque.

Local Muslims under the banner of ‘Imam Parishad’ 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 Jama’at (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=149886

Hidden alliance of Jihadist groups in Bangladesh

VOLUME - 5, ISSUE - 30, DHAKA, JULY 21, 2010

Hidden alliance of Jihadist groups in Bangladesh

By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Notorious Jihadist group Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh [JMB] has changed its name to Jamiatul Muslemin Bangladesh and is forming alliance with ‘like minded’ groups in the country for last four years. According to information disclosed by captured JMB member Saidur Rahman, who told interrogators that, Jihadist groups like Allah’r Daal [Allah’s Party], Harkatul Jihad, Ulema Anjuman Al Baiyiniyat, Jadid Al Qaeda, Hizb-Ut Towhid etc have already aligned with the ‘Jihadist Grand Alliance’ which plans to make offensives on Western nations.

JMB member Saidur Rahman said, “… rulers in the Muslim nations are puppets of United States. So, USA is the main enemy of our alliance. We are gaining strength to make offensives on this country. Our initial plan is to target Western missions, establishments and individuals in Bangladesh.”

It may be mentioned here that, Jihadist groups are continuing various forms of instigative propaganda through some newspapers and periodicals in Bangladesh with the aim of drawing attention of mostly un-educated and Madrassa educated people in the country, thus finally recruiting them as Jihadist cadres of these outfits. Several newspapers and periodicals such as Monthly Rahmat [Blessings], Daily Al-Baiyiniyat, Daily Al Insaniyat, Daily Al Ihsan etc are amongst the publications supporting Jihadist ideology. Moreover, the Jihadist groups in Bangladesh manage in getting published instigative stories in several so-called mainstream newspapers in the country, which also helps in attaining attention of potential Jihadist recruits. These so-called mainstream media mostly run anti-Israel articles and editorials, which is aimed at generating hatred against Israel and United States. In Bangladesh and several Muslim countries, publication of anti-Israel and anti-US propaganda are rather encouraged by the state machinery, as these nations refrain from recognizing the State of Israel and openly extends support and solidarity towards Palestinians and notorious terror outfits like Hamas.

While Bangladeshi government is continuing offensives on JMB and Hizbut Tahrir, there is visible reluctance of the State Machinery in taking any actions against other Jihadist outfits like Hizb-Ut Towhid, Allah’r Daal and Khatmey Nabuat.

Khatmey Nabuat is a radical Jihadist group formed under the leadership of Moulana Mumtazi and Mufti Noor Hussain Noorani in 1995. It came into open activities, mostly targeting Ahmadiyas since 1996. Dozens of Ahmadiya mosques were demolished and burnt by the members of Khatmey Nabuat. It claims to declare Ahmadiyas as ‘non Muslims’. The then Islamist Coalition government in Bangladesh banned religious publications of Ahmadiyas in 2002 at the demand of Khatmey Nabuat.

Hizb Ut Towhid [HUT] came into open activities since 2009 with its agenda of rejecting democratic system and institutions, thus replacing it with self-styled Sharia Law. Wazed Khan Panni alias Selim Panni is the mastermind of this notorious Jihadist outfit. He denounces participation of women in politics in one hand and continues to recruit female Jihadists in his group.

According to Rapid Action Battaion [RAB], Hizb Ut Towhid is continuing its orientation courses, publications and recruitments in Bangladesh. The government is yet to take any action against it.

HUT head office is located in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka at House No. 4, road no. 18, sector no. 7, Uttara. Kingpin of this notorious group Mohammad Bayezid Khan Panni, claims himself to be ‘imam-uz-zaman’, by placing him just behind the prophet of Islam. Panni although operates HUT from his Uttara residence, there are now a number of branches of this notorious militancy group in a number of places in Dhaka as well as other parts of the country. HUT has extended its activities within Barisal, Feni, Kushtia, Madaripur, Tangail, Gazipur, Meherpur, Jhenidah, Noakhali, Khulna, Chittagong and Narshingdi districts under the patronization of its active members and donors. Funds of this group are collected in the name of ‘Zakat’ [Islamic charity].

The HUT chief, who left Bangladesh after the independence and returned in the ‘80s, published a book titled “This Islam is not at all Islam” in March 1996, which the government banned on May 10, 1998. He also wrote another book named ‘Dajjal’, where he said that Jews and Christians are the evils who should be eliminated by the Muslims. Besides, there are several leaflets and booklets on the HUT ideologies and objective. Followers of HUT do not believe in democracy and traditional government system. HUT activists use iron hammer and tobacco dust when they attack.

Selim Panni terms working women and women in politics as ‘prostitutes’ and gives his own ‘Islamic Code’ for men to marry any number of wives. His interpretation is, “women are created only for sexual pleasure of men and this is their only task”.

He projects Jews and Christians as true evils and preaches killing them or raping female members of Jewish and Christian societies as “divine task”. He also teaches his followers to wage any type of offensives on the West.

Panni considers secularist forces as ‘enemies of Islam’ and encourages his followers in killing seculars for “buying heaven”. In his interpretation, Jamaatul Mujahedin Bangladesh [JMB] and other Islamist militancy groups are “sacred forces of Allah” and he terms Shaikh Abdur Rahman as the “Hero of Allah”.

According to sources in Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], activities of Hizb Ut Towhid are under active surveillance of various law enforcing agencies in Bangladesh. It said, “the group operates under various tactics, one of which is continuing activities under the cover of ‘business establishments’. There are specific allegations on a number of such establishments aligned with HUT.”

Bangladeshi government should not allow the Jihadist groups in growing any strength either by continuing activities independently or in alliance. Massive offensives should immediately begin against such outfits.

URL: www.weeklyblitz.net/876/hidden-alliance-of-jihadist-groups-in-bangladesh