The stories of violence, intimidation, and targeted attacks on minority communities underscore the urgent need to address this issue and safeguard the nation’s social fabric
Recent accounts of horrific brutality and targeted violence against minority communities have surfaced, shedding light on the dangerous threat posed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance to communal harmony in Bangladesh. Prime Minister’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy shared a video on social media that vividly captures the grim reality faced by minority individuals who are perceived as Awami League loyalists. The harrowing tales of assault, rape, and intimidation paint a bleak picture of the alliance’s actions and their impact on the nation’s social fabric.
Threat to Communal Harmony: Unveiling a Disturbing Reality
In a video shared on social media, Prime Minister’s ICT Advisor Sajeeb Wazed Joy unveils the stories of minority individuals who have suffered at the hands of BNP-Jamaat cadres. These individuals, belonging to various minority communities, share harrowing accounts of gang rapes, amputations, and loss of loved ones. Their only ‘fault,’ as the BNP-Jamaat claims, is their loyalty to the Awami League. These tales, captured in videos produced by rights activists, lay bare the violent nature of the alliance and its detrimental impact on communal harmony.
You can also read: US should ensure fair elections in their country: Joy
Sajeeb Wazed Joy emphasizes the unprecedented incidents of torture and violence orchestrated by BNP-Jamaat members. The atrocities endured by these minority individuals, merely due to their perceived political affiliations, raise concerns about the alliance’s intentions. The stories of brutality, intimidation, and fear reveal the alliance’s systematic efforts to target minority communities and disrupt communal harmony.
Voices of Victims
The video showcases poignant interviews with victims and their families. A 12-year-old girl recounts being abducted and assaulted by a group of BNP-Jamaat members due to her family’s affiliation with the Awami League.
She said, “Considering my parents as Awami League voters, a group of BNP-Jamaat abducted me from my house, took me to a place where they came one after another like beasts and assaulted me”.
The rape victim’s mother added, “They didn’t spare any money, I saved for my daughter’s wedding.”
The anguish and cries of victims, along with the heart-wrenching accounts of mothers saving for their daughters’ weddings, provide a chilling glimpse into the lives shattered by violence.
Recurring Pattern: A History of Disruption
Sajeeb Wazed Joy underlines that the threat to communal harmony isn’t isolated to the present moment. He highlights how even during the 2001 national elections, BNP-Jamaat used intimidation tactics to deter minority communities from participating in the democratic process. The video delves into the period between 2001 and 2006, when the BNP-Jamaat government’s tenure saw a rise in such brutality and state-sponsored terror, fracturing communal harmony.
“As militant and fundamentalist forces were embraced by BNP top brass including Tariq Rahman and allowed to operate under state patronage, minorities suffered,” writes Sajib Wazed on ‘X’ formerly known twitter.
The video also exposes a recurring pattern of violence during the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s opposition years. Between 2013 and 2015, instances of attacks on minorities, including the arson of places of worship, were orchestrated by the alliance. The narrative highlights the consistent targeting of minorities and the cycle of violence that accompanies the alliance’s actions.
Denouncing the Whitewashing
Community leaders and activists denounce the BNP’s attempts to prove that minorities are unsafe under Awami League rule as “whitewashing.” They call out the unspeakable atrocities as crimes against humanity. The video includes strong statements from victims and community leaders, emphasizing the need to acknowledge and address the violence perpetrated by the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
Rana Das Gupta, a prominent rights activist and a leader of the country’s largest minority platform, criticized the BNP and called the act a “crime against humanity”.
Archbishop Emeritus Patrick D’Rosario has rejected the state of Bangladesh’s Christian community as “oppressed” under the current government.
Prime Minister’s Message
Earlier on Wednesday, August 9, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that BNP-Jamaat terrorists are still trying to harass the people in various ways by holding them hostage.
She echoes the sentiments raised in the video, stating that the BNP-Jamaat alliance’s understanding of opposition lies in violence. She highlights the alliance’s history of bomb attacks, arson, and hostage-taking to instill fear. Sheikh Hasina asserts that her government remains dedicated to serving the people, even in the face of the opposition’s violent tactics.
In Conclusion, the video shared by Sajeeb Wazed Joy sheds light on the grave threat posed by the BNP-Jamaat alliance to communal harmony in Bangladesh. The stories of violence, intimidation, and targeted attacks on minority communities underscore the urgent need to address this issue and safeguard the nation’s social fabric.
