Make special law to try perps of communal violence

Special laws should be enacted and used for cases of communal violence to ensure protection of the victims and witnesses, activists of the Forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals of 1971 demanded at a programme yesterday.

Addressing the programme as special guest, State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal urged everyone to be aware of what was being taught in madrasas, saying that 80 percent of the syllabus includes ideology that incites terrorism and communalism.

The government is also strictly monitoring funds for terrorism and communalism being deposited in Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited from different countries and is taking steps to stop the flow, he said.

Eminent journalist, writer and filmmaker Shahriar Kabir, acting president of the forum popularly known as Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, pointed out that the Hindu-majority villages attacked last year and early this year were mostly surrounded by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters.

As a result the victims were living in constant fear of repeat attacks from communal quarters, he said before screening of his recent documentary, “Wither Bangladesh”, at the programme in the Women's Voluntary Association auditorium in the capital's Dhanmondi.

The 43-minute documentary focused on the rise of religion-based extremist forces and the violence perpetrated by them in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Jamaat's relationship with and BNP's patronisation of such forces.

It highlighted the Ramu communal attack on September 2012, the Hefajat-e Islam rally and subsequent violence on May 2013, attack on Hindu communities after war criminal and Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death and the January 5 national election.

The documentary also linked these incidents to activities of terrorist outfits such as Ansarullah Bangla Team and ISIS and presented interviews of two alleged terrorists.

“Documentaries on the (war crimes) tribunal, including videos of testimonies, should be made,” said Shahriar, adding that the government should create a separate fund for production of films related to the spirit of the Liberation War.

Addressing as chief guest, Information Minister Hasaul Haq Inu said, “We had only primarily resisted the torment perpetrated by terrorist supporters last year but the danger has not disappeared.”

He said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia patronises collaborators, war criminals and terrorist but a section of people were in a dilemma about it.

“The intellectual community remains silent on this issue,” he said, adding that it was time to choose between democracy and terrorism.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanom, Institute of Architects former president Rabiul Hussain and the nirmul committee Vice President Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury also spoke at the programme, chaired by eminent journalist and cultural activist Kalam Lohani.