Interfaith dialogue can combat extremism

This guest post is by Farzana Mahmood, Barrister,  Executive Director, Bangladesh Manobadhikar o Poribesh Andolon. She was a member of the Inaugural Class of the ICLRS Young Scholars Fellowship on Religion and the Rule of Law, held in Oxford (2018). 

Why we need peaceful conversations between different religions
from the Dhaka Tribune – April 25, 2019

One of my Sri Lankan friends emailed yesterday: “Evil is released on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka.” Three churches and two hotels have been bombed on Easter Sunday while people were worshiping in the churches. The churches in Sri Lanka mostly worked for peace and harmony in Sri Lanka.

The recent developments of religious extremism in the post-war situation have become vicious. In the context of political coups, geo-political interests, violent mindset of the organized violent groups and individuals, this has happened.”

This heinous crime committed against the particular religious community killed more than 300 people and nearly 500 were injured. This attack is not an attack only on the Christians or on the people of Sri Lanka, it is an attack on humanity. We express our solidarity with victims’ families and the people of Sri Lanka at this time of grief and sorrow.

In Bangladesh also, we have seen how Jamaat promoted the Islamic bigots and extremists like Bangla Bhai, Shaekh Abdur Rahman, and the state patronized killing of minorities in the name of Islam. (more…)

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A Peace Cross on Public Property: A Violation of Establishment?

"On Feb. 27, the Supreme Court [heard] arguments about the constitutionality of the 40-foot Peace Cross on government property in Bladensburg, Md., a memorial for local fallen World War I soldiers. Many Americans might see a…

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Bangladesh: Do We Need a Ministry for Religious Minorities?

This guest post is by Farzana Mahmood, Barrister,  Executive Director, Bangladesh Manobadhikar o Poribesh Andolon. She was a member of the Inaugural Class of the ICLRS Young Scholars Fellowship on Religion and the Rule of Law, held in Oxford (2018). 

Bangladesh is a multi religious country where the Muslim population is officially estimated at around 90.5 per cent, Hindus 8.5 per cent, followed by Buddhists (0.6 per cent) and Christians (0.3 per cent) and others (0.1 per cent). The Constitution protects the equal status of all religion, ensures equal rights of every citizen irrespective of his religious identity, affirms secularism to ensure non-discrimination on the basis of religion and ensures freedom to practice any religion.

The bitter experience under the disguise of religion during the partition of the subcontinent, the regime of Pakistan and finally in the Liberation war of 1971, encouraged the Constitution makers and the people of Bangladesh to stay firm with principles of secularism and freedom of religion. Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkobagish on 30th October 1972 gave his observations on secularism in the Parliamentary Assembly debate (Parishad Bitorko) and stated that under the name of Islam the barbaric Pakistani soldiers mercilessly killed Bengalees on 25th March of 1971 (Speech on introduction of constitution Bill. Source- minutes of the first meeting of the second session of National Assembly October, 1972, Parishad Bitorko (Assembly Debate), Dhaka: GOB).

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