On behalf of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal or BASAD(Marxist) Party, Comrade Fakhruddin Kabeer Atik- coordinating in-charge of the central executive forum, has in a statement expressed deep concern over and strongly condemned the attack at the Durga Puja pandals in different parts of the country. Reportedly, some conspirators had intentionally left a copy of the Islamic scripture Quran at the foot of the Durga idol at Nanurdighee Puja pandal, thereby fuelling communal excitement all over the country which resulted in heinous attacks on people belonging to the minority Hindu community. Comrade Atik has strongly raised the demand that the perpetrators who thus purposefully attempted to bring allegations of an insult to the Holy Quran be identified without delay through an impartial investigation and exemplary punishment be meted out to those involved in such barbaric acts at other places of the country too. He has earnestly appealed to all religious and democratic- minded people not to be excited by any sort of provocation with communal intent and to protect and preserve inter-faith harmony and tolerance. At the same time, he demanded that the state should bear the responsibility of providing proper treatment of or compensation to those who have been killed or injured by this attack by the communal fanatics as well as also the security of the minority community.
The statement further added: ‘‘It can be comprehended by any conscious person that no one from the Hindu community with least of common sense would place any Holy book of a different religion at the foot of the Durga idol in the pandal. From long back, the Durga Puja is being held here and never ever anything like this happened before. So, obviously, the person or persons who have acted so foul, had an ulterior motive to intentionally foment communal discord. Neither can the apprehension that the conspiracy was hatched with the object of reaping political benefit, be ruled out. Again, after the incident, common people have been provoked in an organised manner through spread of all kinds of inciting rumours spread by the fundamentalist-communal forces, a section of religious and political leaders, spokespersons as well as locally influential persons. Suppressed by fascistic rule for a long time, religious intolerance and communal feelings are increasing whereas rational thinking is getting destroyed among the people. Owing to this, a section of the people with vested interest, both in the government and among the public, has been succeeding to precipitate animosity among the people through spread of evil rumours and by playing on their religious feelings. Ever since independence, the anti-people and corrupt rule of parties or groups installed in power including the Awami League currently in power, are responsible for all this.’’
The statement further held: ‘‘The responsibility lies with the Government to identify and expose those who had conspired to leave the Quran in a Puja pandal and incited the communal attack. But the Awami League Government, despite all its tall talks of commitments to the cause of liberation movement, claim of being non-communal and being power-hungry, are patronizing the communal forces even by forging alliance with them at times or using them in various ways.
Giving party nominations to forces like those leading the attacks at Nasirnagar in Brahmanberia, or having intimacy with Hefazati Islam or holding no proper trials for the communal attacks during the current regime– all bear testimony to it.’’
Hence, unless a movement is launched immediately, proper investigation of the recent incidents would be kept at bay like the previous innumerable occasions. We demand that to probe and redress communal violence of this sort, an independent and permanent commission be constituted alongside the government enquiry. It is equally important for the Government to take the initiative to foster and promote consciousness and healthy culture among the people of the country by introducing universal, secular, democratic, humanist and comprehensive education so that the society may be freed from the venom of communalism.
BASAD (Marxist) condemns communal attacks on Durga Puja pandals in Bangladesh
