Communal attacks won’t stop until political parties stop using religion in politics: Shujan
Until political parties stop using religion in politics, it would be impossible to root out communal violence like what occurred in Cumilla and several other places, speakers at a human chain said today.
Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) with National Girl Child Advocacy Forum, Youth Ending Hunger, Bikoshito Nari Network organised the nationwide human chain -- held centrally at Manik Mia Avenue, adjacent to the parliament.
They condemned the recent communal attacks over a reported incident of "demeaning the Holy Quran" and demanded immediate punishment of the perpetrators.
"It (the incident) is a wake-up call for all of us; no one is safe in the country. We are standing on a heap of gunpowder," said Badiul Alam Majumdar, founding secretary of Shujan.
The two main reasons for these incidents are a culture of impunity and biased behaviour of the government, he observed.
"Politicians are playing blame game which should be stopped and the instigators should be punished," he added.
Shujan's Vice President and eminent rights activist Dr Hameeda Hossain said many civil society members are condemning the communal attacks, but they should react unitedly.
They should form a "People's Tribunal" to identify the perpetrators, she added.
Central Coordinator of the organisation Dilip Kumar Sarker placed some demands at the programme including forming a neutral investigation committee, banning religion-based political parties and strengthening cultural practices to this end.
Rashida Akter Shelly, president of Bikoshito Nari Network, Shakil Rahman, coordinator of Manobadhikar Unnoyon Kendra, and Nasima Akter Jolly, secretary of National Girl Child Advocacy Forum spoke at the programme, among others.
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