Fri 21 Sep 2007
Via AFP
Clashes as Islamic protesters defy Bangladesh emergency
Street clashes broke out in Bangladesh Friday as Islamic activists defied emergency rule to protest over the publication in a major newspaper of a cartoon deemed offensive to Muslims.
Thousands of protesters joined the rally in the centre of the capital Dhaka, an AFP photographer at the scene said, even though demonstrations are strictly prohibited under the country’s eight-month-old state of emergency.
Police baton-charged some of the activists as they tried to break through barricades put up to prevent them reaching the offices of Prothom Alo, the newspaper that published the cartoon and Bangladesh’s biggest daily paper.
Demonstrators chanted slogans demanding the execution of newspaper editor Matiur Rahman and burned effigies of him and copies of the Bengali-language daily.
“More than 9,000 people protested against the cartoon in front of the national mosque and tried to march to the Prothom Alo office,” said a police official speaking on condition of anonymity.
A doctor at the city’s main hospital said five people had been treated for “very minor” injuries.
The cartoon appeared in Prothom Alo’s weekly satirical magazine “Alpin.”
Its cartoonist, Arisur Rahman, 23, was detained earlier this week and later remanded in custody by a court.
Matiur Rahman on Thursday apologised for the cartoon, which showed a small boy adding the name Mohammed to the name of a cat.
International press freedom body Reporters Without Borders called for the immediate release of the cartoonist.The protests came as Bangladesh’s military-backed emergency government seized copies of another magazine for allegedly insulting Islam.
“The government has banned the Eid issue of the Bengali language weekly magazine Shaptahik 2000 for publishing an autobiographical article where the writer desecrated the holy shrine Mecca,” said Shahenur Mia, senior information officer at the home affairs ministry.
Mia declined to elaborate, but the Daily Inqilab newspaper said the author, Daud Haider, who has lived in Germany for 30 years, compared Mecca to a brothel in India.
“The government has ordered the seizure of all copies of this issue of the magazine,” added Mia.
Bangladesh, with a population of 144 million, is the world’s third-largest Muslim-majority country. It has been under emergency rule since January 11 after elections were cancelled over vote-rigging allegations and an army-backed government took power.
The temporary government has promised to reinstate democracy by holding fresh elections in late 2008 after cleaning up the nation’s corrupt politics. Last month Reporters Without Borders criticised the government for being heavy handed towards the media.
It said its record had been “badly marred” by censorship and violence by security forces against journalists during a spate of unrest.
The actual text from Shaptahik 2000 is below: Englsih readers can go ro Rezwan’s for translation.
Also the liflet spreading in Dhaka today is below (via Biplab)
Meanwhile spare a thought for 23 year old cartoonist Arifur who is languishing in jail for drawing this innocuous cartoon
Courtesy: Sudharam Shadhu at somewherein [via Rezwan ]
September 21st, 2007 at 3:39 pm
I can’t take this BS any more, we are nothing but a bunch of hypocrites including some on this forum, and how can any rational human being be so blind with religious zealous in these day and age.
September 21st, 2007 at 5:34 pm
I had read this somewhere and just about says my feelings about whats happening……
“All of your rules are a bunch of shit
I try to drink a fucking beer and you can’t deal with it
maybe you should see the light what the world sees
A bunch of religious fools always on there knees
you try to place the blame but its what you create
separation of mosque and state, what a bunch of shit
how will you live is your own choice, your own choice not mine
stay the fuck away from me let me live my life”
September 21st, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Nothing goes unpaid. We may not support unjust act.
Freedom of speech and pen never meant to do whatever one desires.
One should be rational and careful in his speech and pen.
But things are going extra with the issue of Prothom Alo.
If you neutrally say, I think all will agree that as a nation we are extra emotional.
Let us be careful by all. Let us calm down now.
ALO
September 21st, 2007 at 6:28 pm
Whether you like or not but truth is this group has been ruling the country for long time. Even in the current government Moinul is representing this group
September 21st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Other day I was watching Sunday talk show in PBS, and one of the participants made a startling comment on fanaticism on historical context (not just religious ones, rather generally national, racial etc.). His point was there is a perceived wrong belief about fanaticism, bigotry among us, even among pundits. We see bigots as an isolated branch of population went to some extreme, but that’s actually not the case. Extremism is only the “fruit”, what stays invisible is the entire tree, its trunk and leaves. Trunks and leaves are the moderate people in a country. Extremism is really “powered” by moderates. Extremism dies only when it is disconnected from moderates. Otherwise you can punish, put to jail, do other stuff to individual extremists, that are never going solve the original issue. This is kind of counter intuitive, blaming moderates for extremism, but if you spend sufficient time studying bigots, fanatics, rationalizing yourself with the problem you would be able to see this hidden tree, not just the fruits.
Same goes here in this forum, any other forum, every one of the communities. At times you might find some people hypocrite, not rational, which is never unexpected. Generally speaking right wing commentators we see here are not bad guys; they are not fanatics themselves, neither a bigot. In the spectrum of so called “moderate” people they are probably shifted a little to the right side than you and providing valuable lifeline for actual fanatics. At which point part of your support (probably inadvertently) goes directly into the basket of extremist is very fuzzy. For example among Danish cartoon, Daud Hyders line and Alpin cartoon, you would find people who are offended by only the first one, then there are others who were offended by first two, and then there are even another group who are offended by all three. Now if you as a person draw the line that you are offended by only the first hence you are different from the fanatic who is offended by all, I would ask you what really gives you the authority to draw boundary line at a seemingly arbitrary place. There is no absolute standard for these kinds of judgments, any attempt to put one would cause problems, and in that process hide the fact why fanaticism survives, haunts us so often.
September 21st, 2007 at 7:39 pm
We need some one like “kamal ataturk” in Bangladesh or the country is doomed, every mullah needs to work for a living and should be flogged if produces more then 2 offspring (or maybe just 1 following the Chinese principle).
September 21st, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Dear Tarek Ahmed, I have always blamed the “moderates” across the whole spectrum for not vocally and publicly disowning these fringe groups on either end (religious fanatics or Naxalites) that preach violence and threaten our freedom of expression and choice. But I’d have appreciated if you would kindly be more explicit on “the fact why fanaticism survives…” as you see it.
The moderates may claim they don’t agree with the whackos, but their silence sends one of two different messages (if not both): i) approval as usual; and/or ii) it’s “okay” for the mob to be enraged, and to express their violent outrage publicly (esp if that is instigated with a Friday khutba, over a hyped up issue they do not even fully understand…). And our govt(s), past & present, “always moderate”, have also been in passive as well as active support of such violent demonstrations/calls for heads to be rolling, be it against foreign cartoonists, deshi literati, or Ahmadiyas. And as you point out, there is no dearth of apparently moderate people even on cyber-forums on either side supporting the “sentiment,” — and by extension and/or rationalization the violent actions — of extremists.
And so, as a logical progression of things, we have the Khatib of Baitul Mukarram emerge as our Khomeini, and what an irony, he now appears to be preaching “moderation” — even though he himself has gone on record with similar incendiary appeals to the pubic in flagrant abuses of his state appointed pulpit!
You are absolutely right in concluding that “there is no absolute standard…” — and therefore only “tolerance of all views” — no matter how offending — is the only basic principle we can have as a solution. Obviously, such tolerance should not be extended to calls for violent actions that endanger even a single life, public/private property, or even life-styles/religious practices of a fringe group that do not affect the rest of the citizenry.
September 21st, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Thanks nirbashito. My point was fanaticism survives due to silent intentional or inadvertent undercurrent of support from moderates. There are times when a part of me wants to support them, and at the same time another part clearly understands the threat they pose. Until we consolidate this inside us, come out clear, different fringe groups would take advantage of it, and for that matter why shouldn’t they. Not just political leadership, general population has this dilemma all the time. Many times during Friday Khuthba, or Eid jamat I heard objectionable statements from Imams, but never felt like protesting.
A shift in the way of moderate groups thinking is needed to reduce the amount of fanaticism we see today in Bangladesh. Over longer time (decades) this brand of fanaticism will eventually wither, but if we do nothing it might take a very painful and long route.
I personally believe when we attempt to solve these issues, our focus should be on general mass rather than these minority offshoots. We need a gradual psychological change for middle, lower middle and lower economic classes. This change of sentiment is also needed for things like eliminating corruption, economic growth etc. You can’t do this by law or putting few political leaders in jail. Rather this needs to be done in a more inside out fashion, and in many occasions most people are desperate to have this change, just that they don’t know how to do it. For example building a school in rural area is helpful, but letting people know how to build their own schools in even more helpful. And this transfer of knowledge is the most important help rural and semi rural Bangladesh needs at this time. If drishtipat people agrees, we can debate, exchange ideas on this particular topic of psychological change in Bangladesh. It’s not that actual effort will require lot of funding; rather it will depend on the creativity of our approach.
September 22nd, 2007 at 12:57 am
The hypocrisy of it all prompts me to post one of my favorite poem by Muhhamad Iqbal.
When in a vision I saw
A mullah ordered to paradise,
Unable to hold my tongue,
I said something in this wise:
‘Pardon me, O Lord,
For these bold words of mine,
But he will not be pleased
With the houris and the wine.
He loves to dispute and fight,
And furiously wrangle,
But paradise is no place
For this kind of jangle.
His task is to disunite
And leave people in the lurch,
But paradise has no temple,
No mosque and no church.’
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:23 am
Clarification on the two possible alternative messages sent by the “silence of the moderates” (#6, para 2): i) complete agreement and support for a violent outburst; and ii) even if not in agreement with an extreme position, sympathy for emotional/sentimental trauma sustained, and tolerance of the subsequent mass hysteric reaction.
September 22nd, 2007 at 2:36 am
Tarek Ahmed #8, (last 6 lines)
Excellent point regarding MASS EDUCATION, whereby public are informed on issues.
In Bangladesh, a TV series named MATI-O-MANUSH televised for the past 10 years has been credited to the surge in rural agriculture in BD.
In USA there is constant use of the radio and TV by govt (local and federal) to create MASS EDUCATION. Example there is a daily radio commercial this week which says “turn your tap off while tooth-brushing, and save 2 gallons of water every morning”. This creates public awareness and mass upgrade of public.
BD can also use mass public media to upgrade people from misconceptions on anti-corruption, religion, education, health, economy etc.
September 22nd, 2007 at 4:54 am
Bangladesh in the past?
The terrorism in the history of Bangladesh was first started by “Shorbohara”.
The communist “Zealots”
Now communists are fighting against so called Islamic “Zealots”.
What is more surprising is that the new war has been started by communists Motiur Rahman of Prothom alo and Mortoza of Shaptahik 2000. They are run by the same media group.
We heard little about the Islamic Zealots in bangladesh before 1997-98. All of this started initially after few Sada Chuler manush with communist background began to celebrate bengali new year with shakha, dhuti, and etc. etc. Before the nobody had any complaints on how bengali new year was celebrated in Bangladesh. What right these so called intellectuals had to make the celebration of Bengali new year? Why should not they be questioned? have the really used their pen in a proper and respectful way? What right do they have to ignite fire?
Who is supposed to be blamed? Communists or Islamists. In my opinion, both should be blamed.
September 22nd, 2007 at 4:55 am
Please read..
What right these so called intellectuals had to make the celebration of Bengali new year controvercial?
September 22nd, 2007 at 7:05 am
Still now, in socio-political texture of Bangladesh, Baitul Mukarram’s Khatib, Hijbut Tahrir are nobody, just aberration of nature. They are pretty much like loose motions in other wise healthy digestive system. Once in a while, after ‘chatpati’, couple of bowl movements will not kill you, but it will become fatal with malnutrition and infested drinking water.
In Bangladesh, these hyenas are pretty much a joke, but, they are growing under the patronization of powerful ones. Since late 70s, little by little, rulers and opponents tried to use religion in their favors and let the weeds grow. Like Ziaur Rahman’s direct and indirect patronization of ‘colorful’ characters and madrashas. Like Ershad and Aatrosi love affair. Like Khaleda Zia’s cultivation of Bangla Bhais. Like Seikh Hasina’s agreement with khelafat; even though, under the then election culture, that khelafat could not even make a dent in 99% of constituencies. Like editors and publishers getting on knees in front of some Mullahs, empowering them as sole agent of Islam and God fearing people. So far I know, Bangladesh still does not have any official or unofficial super committee to take care of Islam. So, how were those mullahs selected? Who selected them? Some people are carefully creating monsters for their own purpose.
In the current fiasco, no major political party raised opposition to Mullah’s aggression. There are hundreds of ways to protest their aggression without hurting the feelings of religious people. But politicians are silent for short term gains. The only mild protest I have seen is from Communist Party, Chattra Union, and Chetonay Ekattur- munsiganj sakha. Even those protests appeared in only one national daily, hidden in the news of mullah’s actions. Where as other major dailies are reporting imam and ‘leaders’ from places like ‘galachipa’, demanding punishment to PA. How about intellectuals? I guess they are afraid of the Government and military, not mullahs. Untreated, diarrhea can be dangerous; it needs to be confronted with antidiarrheal drugs.
It will be interesting to see if the Government identifies the instigators and arrest the mullahs from video clip. It should be much easier to identify the main characters from 8/9 thousand crowds than it were from 88,000.
I am also looking for righteous people who were very vocal about rule of law and duty of professors to come out and say “shut up imams, khatibs! Go and lead the prayers.” Does government pay the salary and benefits for Baitul Mukarram’s khatib? Anyone?
September 22nd, 2007 at 10:28 am
@ SC
Well the communist parties and the islamic parties are opposing entities.
Communism do not support any sort of religion. On the other hand religious parties are all for religion in state activities.
So, the clash between communism and religious parties is nothing new. Vatican, Catholics, churches helped the western govts war against communism during cold war era. Many US alligned countries banned communists parties in their respective countries making communist parties go underground (religion was one of the undisclosed factor).
Before our independence communist party was a banned political party. After the cold war era was over, the whole equation in world affair changed. Churces still remain as a behind the scene political interest group/force in most powerful western countries. Communism gone they needed a new opponent.
While in power, pro Awami league and former communist intellectuals did try something between 1996 and 2001. What we are seeing today are due to the failed attempt by those ppl. Like, Celebrating new year in a different way, abrupt banning of fatwa, attack on shaikul hadis in mohammadpur and many more…..
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:40 pm
MASS EDUCATION is probably the way to go. How about a few lines of Nazrul, to start.
“Who are they who hate man
but kiss the Koran, the Vedas and the Bible
Snatch away from them those
books and scriptures
The hypocriptes worship the scriptures by killing men…..
Listen you fools, its men who have produced scriptures and not scriptures who have produced men”.
September 22nd, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Well said #13 (SC) very good analysis indeed, I would only change the diagnosis from mere “loose motion” to 1st stage Cancer, if untreated it can kill you.
September 22nd, 2007 at 4:20 pm
I am writing to protest and vent my feeling of horror at the arrest and ongoing detention of 23 year old Mr Arifur Rahman. The editor of Prothom Alo has apologised and that apology should have been sufficient redress for any offence caused by the rather innocuous cartoon. If the government continues to detain Mr Arifur Rahman for such a flimsy offence then it will only be pandering to the irrational whimsical sensibilities of a group of people in our country. The government also needs to take firm action against the protestors who defied the rule (emergency) of law to vent their grievances in public if it is to retain any claim to even handedness it its dealing of law & order issues.
As a female, I feel strongly about this matter as I personally stand to lose so much if the fundamentalist religious element gain the upper hand in Bangladesh - I would have to ditch any dream that I currently have of making a future for myself in Bangladesh. I am loath to even use the label Islamic for this element as its attitude is a travesty of the true spirit (in my view) of Islam.
September 22nd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
#abarzigay:
Don’t try to pump up juice by portraying it as a fight between religion and communism. By the way, if you would like to celebrate your new year by praying to Almighty, I do not think anyone will go and try to bomb your house. So, do not try to justify the fanatics by blaming how people celebrate Bangla Noboborso. I guess you are hurt by banning of fatwa-bazi. My condolences! By the way, who the heck (I was inlcined to use a more common phrase) is your “shaikul hadis “?
September 22nd, 2007 at 10:40 pm
abarzigay (#14): it’s good to see you seemingly keeping an open mind and nurturing a secular viewpoint: tobe abar ziganor age ettu bhalo koira pora-shuna ar chinta-bhabna korle kemon hoy?
Please enlighten us: how do you know the two justices on the bench who gave their verdict against “fatwabaaji” — after interpreting existing laws — were “pro AL and former communist intellectuals”? And on what grounds do you conclude that their verdict is somehow responsible for “what we are seeing today?”
Or should I interpret “failed attempt” as “they did not go far enough?” In that case, I agree with you 110%.
Also, you might wanna consider the fact that BNP, JP, and other Islam-pasand parties may be harboring just as many “former communists” as — if not more than — anyone else today.
September 24th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
I am not pious at all, but I did not like Daud Haider’s part. But I have heard similar expression before. I never minded Taslima’s questions/comments regarding religions (islam and others) rules and practices. I was waitng someone would answer her intelligently. I do not remember seeing any. Back to track, Daud Haiders language was not smart. (or stupid, should I say)
The prothom alo kartoon was totally innocent. I will not be surprised ifthe cartoonist is more muslim than most of us (involved in the debate)
I just want to ask the Bangladeshi Muslims, why do you think muslims should have Muhammad as their First name. Please, give me reference from Quran.
September 25th, 2007 at 12:40 am
#22,
Mohammad is a name but why should be title, like
Mr. Mrs, Dr, Eng, Esq! Our people have deep love for the prophet but don’t know many right things about muslim ritual. That’s why they put Mohammed, Ahamed and Ali and so on with their names.
Thanks.
September 25th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
They put Muhammad before their names because there is apparently some hadith where the Prophet(pbuh)said to name your kids after me. Feel free to correct me if this is not an authentic narration.
September 25th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Salaam everyone. I am a frequent visitor but a first time participant in this forum. As I was reading others’ comments, it seems we are picking a side as it is happening in Bangladesh with this silly carton. In my understanding, this whole incident shows the most dangerous problem of Bangladesh, a clear division among people. It shows the disconnection between educated elites with masses. Thought of Bangladesh could go forward without the help of others is the slow poison that could kill this nation, unless one group finishes off the other in time. To me this division should have been taken care of 37 years ago. Ruling elite failed to understand people at that time and they are still ignoring.
Bangladesh needs to change education systems that are causing this division. They need education system which will encompass everyone of the nation and slowly build the national identity ground up. Education is for the people and need to be designed to meet the expectation of everyone. Whether one like it or not majority of Bangladeshis likes to see religions are being taught in the education systems. Bangladeshis don’t need so called general education or madrasha educations. It should have a modern education with religious base moral foundation where ideas would flourish. Without such education Bangladesh will continue to produce secular extremist as well as religious extremists. Therefore, making it a battle ground for domination.
Bangladeshis are nostalgic about the past and forget that a nation does not keep the same characteristics at all time. We can look at Turkey or Russia. Changes are taking place right in front of our eyes. Country’s character changes with the people and education builds peoples’ character.
September 27th, 2007 at 12:19 am
abuwardha: welcome! but please don’t post the same response in two different blogs — keep your essay on the cow away from blog on the river. I have already responded to you (you forced me to violate my own principle) under the blog titled Out in the Cold*.
BTW, did you choose “Turkey or Russia” as examples of going back, or going forward?
__________
* http://www.drishtipat.org/blog/2007/09/25/out-in-the-cold/
September 27th, 2007 at 1:37 am
September 27th, 2007 at 3:47 am
24# abuwardah [!father of rose]
You said you are the first timer in pasting your post in DP blog forum but have been going through those of others so far. I personally welcome you as I’m amazed to see how astutely you understood the problem of our educational dichotomy.
For our very existence we need national consensus on different vital issues and cement our natioanl solidarity. With existing schools of thought and education system it’s never possible, can be said Delhi Dur Wastha. You did unearth the very uncared and unthought of fundamental problem of our education systm; while Madrasha education mostly attended by the fringe poor sectioin of the society, for the majority, produces Kath Mullahs and orthodocs, antipathic to modern science and developement and on the other hand the so called modern-materialistic secular education produces the atheists inimical to traditional religious and family values. Both of these groups are committed to wage continuing war till win their own victory crushing the opponents. They are the enemy of the peaceful cohescent society.
We must need integration of the two systems and have a radical change in education system for the new one that will produce fantics neither religious nor secular.
Thanks.
September 27th, 2007 at 5:01 am
Anoy # 23
I’m not quite sure about Hadith that encourages to name muslim kids after the prophet Mohammaed [sm]. I believe, there are hadiths which encourage, the muslim celebrity names including, prophets, Ashabs so on, be given to muslim kids. Naming all kids after one single prophet is irrational as the purpose of naming is for indentification of individuals. If all muslims have their names as Mohammed how individuals be identified! It doesn’t simply make any sense.
By the way, the naming system in Bangladesh, I think, is the worst in the world. Name is for properly idenfiying people. In our country we don’t have any discipline in naming system.
If I were the head of our government, one of my priority would have been straightening up the naming system enacting laws, especially before we get to the phase of national identity cards. We are poor and corrupt, our bad naming system is at least in some fraction, responsible for that. Corrupt bad people steal others’ identities and in our weird way of naming identity theft is very easy.
We don’t know what is our given names, family names or middle names. This is also a shame on us. We sometimes give multiple names to one single kid. We won’t wonder if we see some boy’s name is Mujib Zia Ershad or girl’s name Khaleda Hasina or Some one’s name Amitab Sharukh Salman Khan or Mohammad Jesus Abraham.
I always, laugh at by myself, when I remember a Bangladeshi’s name, Abu Khuda meaning the father of Khuda or God. I, believe, the parents didn’t ever know the meaining of this name Abu Khuda.
We should take very stringent care about kids’ naming, giving three names the given, the last[family] and the middle name.
Proper naming can reduce criminality in our country, I believe.
Thanks.
September 27th, 2007 at 4:50 pm
I apologies nirBashito for the error. After not seeing any comment on it, I thought no body reads this site.
Thanks bitterboy for kind words. We often don’t like to go to the root causes of a problem. Without proper diagnosis no proper treatment is possible.
We often forget that all Bangladeshis are the resources of Bangladesh. Unfortunately, some of us don’t like to see women advances; others don’t like to see mullahs’ advances. By pick and choose; we are crippling ourselves as a nation. If we understand our responsibility as an individual and as a nation we would see our failure in their condition.
These people did not choose to be like that. They are just not as fortunate as us. With the opportunity most of us received, anyone of them could be like one of us. I think our focus should be issues that will create common ground for people.