Expressing concern that Bangladesh might comply with the identical path as Afghanistan, author and activist Taslima Nasrin stated Islamic radicals are brainwashing and indoctrinating youth to make them “anti-India, anti-Hindu and pro-Pakistan”.
Ms Nasrin stated she and others had initially supported the scholar motion in Bangladesh in opposition to an “autocratic authorities”.
Nevertheless, latest actions reminiscent of violence in opposition to Hindus, assaults on journalists and the discharge of “terrorists” from prisons present that this isn’t a scholar motion however one which was “deliberate and financed by Islamic jihadists,” he stated.
“When college students protested in opposition to the quota system in July, we supported them… individuals who imagine in ladies’s rights, human rights and freedom of expression.”
“Sheikh Hasina was an autocrat who at all times inspired fundamentalists and restricted freedom of expression. Folks had been offended together with her,” he stated. PTI in an unique interview.
He stated they hoped that honest elections can be held to democratically type a brand new authorities.
“However then we realised that it was not a scholar motion, however was deliberate and financed by Islamic jihadists and a banned terrorist organisation,” explains the creator, who needed to flee Bangladesh in 1994 after receiving loss of life threats from Islamic fundamentalists and going through a ban on her books.
“We realized that after they began demolishing all the pieces, all of the statues, sculptures, museums. The best way Hindus had been attacked and killed, it was a nightmare.
“Now, these persons are exposing journalists and folks near Hasina. Little by little, they’re exhibiting their true colours and their true intentions. All of the terrorists who had been in jail have been launched. This was not a scholar motion in any respect,” the creator says.
The creator of ‘Lajja’ has not returned to Bangladesh since her exile and has been dwelling in India since 2005 (besides from 2008 to 2010).
He additionally expressed concern that Bangladesh might change into one other Afghanistan or Iran, given the way in which the present interim authorities beneath Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus operates.
“Yunus says they’re celebrating their victory. Individuals are burning homes of Hindus. What sort of celebration is that this? They’re destroying all the pieces. All of the statues of freedom fighters have been demolished, together with that of the daddy of the nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“However the statues of the Pakistan Military are intact – the military that killed 30 million individuals in the course of the battle and raped tens of millions of girls,” stated the 62-year-old author, recognized for being an outspoken critic of radical Islamic parts.
She stated Yunus knew “very effectively that the nation can be dominated by jihadists and he had no downside with that.”
“We thought there can be elections, however there was no such factor. They do not speak about secularism and so they wish to flip Bangladesh into one thing like Afghanistan or Iran, which could be very scary,” he stated.
Mr Yunus had known as for an finish to assaults on Hindus after being appointed head of the interim authorities, however Nasreen stated he had taken no motion in opposition to the violence.
“We’re not hopeful, however on the similar time we hope that Bangladesh doesn’t change into the following Afghanistan,” he stated.
He additionally blamed Hasina for the present state of affairs and stated the rise of Islamic radicals was not sudden.
“I blame Hasina for that, as a result of she selected faith to remain in energy ceaselessly. She constructed 560 mannequin mosques and madrasas as an alternative of secular faculties to appease the Islamists.
“It additionally destroyed the schooling system by making madrasa levels equal to school levels, in order that individuals who solely studied the Quran and Hadith went to universities and even grew to become lecturers,” he stated.
“They compelled ladies to put on hijab and burqa. This was all Hasina’s concept,” she stated.
Ms Nasrin stated anti-India sentiment is “excessive” in Bangladesh for the time being.
“Khalida Zia expelled me from Bangladesh in 1994 and when Hasina got here to energy she didn’t enable me to enter the nation.
“In 1998, I got here to Bangladesh to affix my mom, who was within the remaining levels of most cancers. My mom died and inside just a few days, Hasina threw me in another country and by no means allowed me to return,” the creator stated, recalling her ordeal.
“I’m not in opposition to Hasina as a result of she harassed me, however as a result of she was an autocrat who didn’t imagine in freedom of expression.
“Throughout his regime, jihadists killed many free thinkers. The rise of Islamic radicals shouldn’t be sudden. Hindus had been attacked extra throughout his regime than another,” Nasreen stated.
He stated that younger persons are brainwashed in opposition to India and Hindus in Bangladesh.
“Hindus are leaving now and they’re left with lower than seven %. Islamic radicals assault Hindus throughout elections, pujas or to seize their properties. Hasina allowed them to present non secular sermons in every single place which had been at all times anti-women and anti-Hindu.
“If the youth are brainwashed on this means, they are going to change into an anti-Hindu, anti-India, anti-women, pro-Pakistan, pro-jihad and pro-fanatic era,” he stated.
Ms Nasrin stated she can not anticipate to return to Bangladesh beneath the present regime and her residency allow in India has additionally not been renewed.
“I can not return to my nation. Khalida and Hasina by no means allowed me to take action and it’s now not possible to think about it beneath this jihadist regime,” she stated.
“India is like my dwelling and I’ve been dwelling right here since 2005. I’m very shocked that my residence allow has not been renewed and there’s no details about it. It expired on July 27. I don’t know anybody within the authorities and I don’t know. Usually, they renew it earlier than the expiry date,” stated the veteran creator.
“A few of my family members are nonetheless in Bangladesh, however most of them have died and I cherished them very a lot: my grandmother, my father, my uncles, my aunts. I’ve the fitting to enter my nation. I ask this query to everybody, however sadly there isn’t any reply,” she stated.
Revealed – 05 Sep 2024 01:12 pm IST
