Bangladesh Safer than Syria for Jihadis … India’s Muslims Equal, B’desh Hindus Oppressed … Indian Liberals Back Islamic Fanatics: Taslima Nasreen

By Aarti Tikoo Singh

May 16, 2016

Taslima Nasreen

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Even as a religious hardliner was executed in Bangladesh, a Buddhist monk was hacked to death. Renowned writer Taslima Nasreen spoke with Aarti Tikoo Singh about a hardliner-politician nexus murdering free thinkers in Bangladesh, religious violence in Pakistan, secularism in India – and India’s liberals:

Since 2013, writers, bloggers and professors are getting murdered in Bangladesh. Who’s killing them?

Jihadists have been silencing voices of sanity because democracy and pluralism are anathema to them. All they want is to establish a theocracy – they want Darul Islam, the land of Islam, in Bangladesh. They want Sharia, no women’s rights, no freedom of speech, and no freedom of thought.

There are 148 Jihadi training camps in Bangladesh. Jihadists are helped by Jamat-e-Islami, 132 Islamic terrorist organisations and 231 fundamentalist institutions, including apparently the Islami Bank.

But six years ago, when Bangladesh restored secularism in its constitution, it seemed on a progressive path – has that and the trial of 1971’s Jamat-e-Islami war criminals provoked this?

If that were so, Islamists would have attacked the judges or people in positions of power – but Islamists have been killing atheist bloggers, critics of Islam, intellectuals and progressive Muslims.

It’s possible because the country has been Islamised for the last few decades. The government is encouraging Islamists by criticising bloggers for hurting sentiments – this is bizarre, unthinkable in a society governed by rule of law.

It seems Bangladesh is hurtling back to the medieval age.

Aren’t there secular political responses?

Well, Sheikh Hasina herself was once attacked by Islamic grenades. However, out of political compulsions, she prefers to forget about it. Instead of proclaiming she’s secular, she says she’s a deeply religious person – there’s competition among political leaders as to who is more religious to get votes from the ignorant masses.

Sheikh Hasina created the Ulema League in her party. This is an organisation of Islamic fundamentalists – members are no different from Jamat-e-Islami goons. They support the killing of freethinkers and atheist bloggers.

How are attacks against minorities in India different from those in Bangladesh?

Minorities in Bangladesh have been systematically targeted by Islamic fundamentalists – Hindus are harassed, tortured, killed, only because they are Hindus. Hindu girls get raped; lands owned by Hindus are forcibly taken. Hindus are told to leave the country.

In 1947, the Hindu population in Bangladesh was 31% – it’s now around 8%.

Muslims in India are not oppressed the way Hindus are oppressed in Bangladesh. Indian Muslims are hated by Hindu extremists – but the Indian Constitution is secular, which guarantees equality before law and equal protection to all, irrespective of religion, caste, sex, etc.

Muslims in India get opportunities for educations and jobs. Hindus do not fight back in Bangladesh – but in India, Muslims often fight back against oppression.

That can happen only if you have equality.

In India, all politicians appease Muslims – in Bangladesh, there’s no such thing as minority appeasement.

Hindus are leaving Bangladesh to save their lives – Muslims in India don’t need to leave their country.

Pakistan is fighting Islamists too. How is Bangladesh’s situation different?

Bangladesh was born as a secular country. Pakistan is an Islamic republic. But Bangladesh, once secular, is now degenerating into a country of Islamists. Because of the Islamisation of Bangladesh for 40 years, its political system is now totally Islamic.

You will not find many Muslim countries with political systems as Islamised as in Bangladesh. So many writers, bloggers and freethinkers have been killed by Islamic fanatics – not a single killer has been punished.

The Islamic fanatic who killed Salman Taseer in Pakistan was hanged – you can get some justice in Pakistan but not in Bangladesh, a safe haven for Islamists.

Even Syria and Iraq are not as accommodating of Islamic fanatics as Bangladesh. No drone attacks disturb Bangladeshi jihadists. Government provides them protection – atheists are getting arrested under 57 ICT Acts, a new law created to fight free thought.

Partition itself was a mistake – now, India has two neighbours dominated by Islamic fundamentalists.

You’re also very critical of India’s liberals and the Left – why?

I’ve noticed liberals and leftists are generally very critical of Hindu fanaticism – but not of Islamic fanaticism.

Islamic fanatics are against human rights, women’s rights, free speech and democracy. Islamic fanatics are against everything Indian liberals stand for – but liberals strangely sympathise with them.

They have distorted the concept of secularism.

Source: blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/the-interviews-blog/bangladesh-safer-than-syria-for-jihadis-indias-muslims-equal-bdesh-hindus-oppressed-indian-liberals-back-islamic-fanatics/

URL: https://newageislam.com/interview/bangladesh-safer-than-syria-jihadis/d/107312