Secularism waning in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, where the mainstream language is Bangla, Muslims call water "Pani", a Sanskrit term, and Hindus use the Arabic word "Jol", a professor from West Bengal said yesterday, dwelling on the mixed culture of the Bangalee and secular history of the Indian subcontinent.

Prof Emanuel Haque of Bidhan Nagar Government College gave a slew of other instances making his point in a paper he presented at the three-day seminar titled "Dharmaniropekkhota O Samuhik Samajbikash" (Secularism and Collective Social Development).

Other speakers observed that secularism was losing ground in Bangladesh.

Inaugurating the seminar at Bangla Academy, Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman said the word secularism was not clearly defined in Bangladesh's constitution -- it neither referred to a "religion-less state" nor "state neutrality towards different religions".

Such debate does not help create a peaceful society with co-existence of all religions, he said.

The seminar was organised jointly by Bangla Academy, School of Liberal Arts and Social Studies at the Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), and Mahmuda Khatun Siddiqua, Abdul Ahad O Hamida Khanam Smriti Parishad in memory of late National Professor AF Salahuddin Ahmed.

Talking about the weakness of the current education system in creating religious tolerance, Vice Chancellor of IUB Prof M Omar Rahman said, "It is essential to make the present generation aware about the religions of others as well as theirs."

Quoting the mystic song writer Lalon Fakir, folklore specialist Prof Shamsuzzaman Khan said secular views were spread in villages by "bauls" (mystic minstrels) and "bayatis" (folk singers) during the 17th century.

"But today they cannot sing Bangla songs in villages," he said, adding religious intolerance and extremism silenced these secular voices.

Discussing Prof Emanuel's paper, Liberation War Museum Trustee Mofidul Hoque quoted Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore's 1905 lecture in explaining how the division between Hindus and Muslims would be like separating a single soul.

"We are in grave danger now," said Kamal Lohani, noted cultural personality, adding that the country had failed to retain its secular nature as stated in the constitution.

Chairing the session, writer Selina Hossain said, "Those who belong to the majority should not look down on the minorities from the position of power."

Prof Korunamoy Goswami will present a paper on secularism in Tagore's thoughts from 10:00am to 1:00pm at Bangla Academy today, while Prof Ali Riaz will present a paper titled "The Future of Secularism" at IUB from 3:00pm to 5:30pm tomorrow.

Cultural programmes will follow the seminar, from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.