Md. Nurul Haque

Whenever there was a political transition and any kind of religious extremism due to some intended purpose of gaining ends by the vested groups or political parties in Bangladesh, communal, religious, and ethnic attacks and violence on the minorities have become the headlines in the national and international print and social media.

Indian media has always tried to prove that Bangladesh is not a safe home for Hindus and other minorities. Behind this plea, they have many other intentions, but the primary purpose is the dominance of Bangladesh by a political party and managing their ends. While India is accusing Bangladesh of being unsecular, extremely communal, and religiously extremist, what about that accusation about itself?

Religious discrimination among Muslims in India reports that 36% in the Northeast and 40% in the North reported facing religious persecution within the past year in 2021. On the other hand, fewer than 20% of Muslims in the Western, Central, Eastern, and Southern regions reported being the target of prejudice.

Internal sectarian conflict reports that the majority of Muslims(65%) and the majority of Hindus(65%) in India saw communal violence as a severe issue in 2021.

Faith transformation shows that Those suspected of coercing others into religious conversions were reportedly arrested in 2023. Several religious groups alleged the use of anti-conversion legislation to limit religious activities.

The state's failure to respond Reports surfaced in 2023 detailing a lack of effort by the state to investigate and bring to justice crimes perpetrated against religious minorities. Human rights groups have voiced concerns that this could give violent extremists the courage to act.

Some historical occurrences include the Jabalpur riots of 1961, the Gujarat riots of 1969, the Sikh slaughter of 1984, the Bhagalpur riots of 1989, the Kashmir violence of 1989, the Godhra train burning, the Gujarat riots of 2002, Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013, and Delhi riots of 2020 are among the most notable instances of religiously motivated violence in India.

Significant violations of human rights occurred because of the year-long ethnic strife between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. According to the media, between May 3 and November 15, at least 175 people were killed, and over 60,000 were displaced. In addition to the destruction of houses, businesses, and places of worship, journalists and activists reported assaults, rapes, and armed fighting. In response to the violence, the government shut down the internet, imposed daily curfews, and sent out security troops. The Supreme Court chastised the central government and the state government of Manipur for failing to end the violence and designated authorities to investigate violent episodes, ensure humanitarian aid was delivered, and repair homes and places of worship.

Serious human rights problems have been reported in Bangladesh, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions, and arbitrary or illegal deaths. There have been many instances of arbitrary arrests and detentions, severe jail conditions, and torture and brutal treatment by the government. There have been cases of international repression and political prisoners. There have also been severe abuses connected to conflicts, punishment of family members for purported transgressions, and invasions of privacy.

There are restrictions on media freedom and freedom of expression, including unwarranted arrests or prosecutions and violence against journalists. There is little freedom of the internet and significant restrictions on peaceful assembly and association. There are limitations on both the freedom to travel inside the nation and the freedom to leave. Domestic and foreign human rights organizations are subject to harsh limitations or intimidation, and government corruption is pervasive.

There are several forms of gender-based violence, such as sexual assault, domestic abuse, and destructive behaviors. People and members of ethnic and caste minorities are threatened and subjected to violence.

To find and punish officials who might have violated human rights, the government took very few credible actions. Terrorists carried out severe atrocities, such as the murder and kidnapping of members of the armed forces, police, government officials, and civilians, in Jammu and Kashmir, the northeastern states, and regions impacted by Maoist terrorism.

Tensions between the Muslim majority and religious minorities, especially Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians, have been the leading cause of the sporadic communal violence, religious disputes, and racism that have occurred in Bangladesh over the past 15 years. Religious intolerance, ethnic conflicts, and sociopolitical difficulties that are made worse by the emergence of extremist groups are essential challenges.

Attacks on homes and temples have often targeted the Hindu population, the most significant religious minority, particularly during times of political unrest. The Ramu attacks in 2012 and the Durga Puja violence in 2021 are noteworthy. Islamic terrorists brutally attacked religious minorities, LGBT campaigners, and secular bloggers in 2016.

Secular activists and minorities have been the targets of militant organizations such as the Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). One such instance is the 2016 Dhaka café incident, in which Islamists murdered 22 individuals, the majority of whom were foreigners.

Long-standing land conflicts and marginalization are issues for the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) indigenous inhabitants. There have been sporadic clashes between Rohingyas and locals in southeast Bangladesh because of the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar since 2017.

Instability has been exacerbated by political violence, which is frequently entangled with communal and religious boundaries. Religious overtones have often been included in the competition between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League (AL).

The government has adopted a strong stance against Islamist militancy, especially under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Critics counter that there has not been enough done to protect minorities. Recurrent acts of violence and discrimination, which frequently target minorities, reflect underlying societal problems, notwithstanding efforts to quell extremism and foster harmony. So, the statistics show that Bangladesh is more secular and non-communal than India, as some attacks and violence took place due to political reasons but not religious and ethical at all.

In both countries, addressing these issues requires strengthening secular values and protecting minority rights, as well as promoting inclusive governance. This is crucial to preventing the marginalization of any group and ensuring equality and fairness for all.

The writer is an assistant professor of English and a PhD candidate at UPM.