Recently some
ministers of Bangladesh government said that they will take actions against those whose writings are offensive against religion. But who will determine what is offensive for religion and what is free-thinking? If the state bureaucracy has decided on something like this, then all sorts of social progress and free thinking will be hindered
Increasing hate crimes in Bangladesh and the world
Abdul Gaffar Choudhury
Hate crime is increasing day by day in Bangladesh. So long, some free thinkers were being killed with machetes. Now, a religious leader who belongs to Awami Olama League has also been a recent victim of this hate crime. Even if he was not attacked by the same people who killed free thinkers, it is still an instance of a hate crime. It seems that the government is unable to protect these precious lives. We blame religious fanatics for spreading such hatred. So far religious hatred has been more visible but now other forms of hate crimes are spreading all over the world. The mass killing in the Tunisian beach, bombing in Erawan shrine of Bangkok, the barbaric killing of innocent school children in Pakistan, or the hate crimes of Russia and China, are the result of extreme hatred generated in some peoples minds for various reasons. This wave of hate crime is not only limited to Bangladesh but can be seen all over the world.
I live in a peaceful suburb area of London called Edgware. For the last forty years there were very few crimes according to reports but nowadays violence out of hate crimes are increasing here along with the rest of London. A report said, more than a third of anti-Semitic incidents recorded in London in the first half of this year took place locally, including 10 in Edgware. A total of 224 anti-Semitic incidents in greater London, from January to June 2015, a 54% increase on the first six months of 2014. Barnet is a neighbouring area, which has the largest Jewish population in the country, saw a total of 78 incidents compared to 48 in the same period last year. Of these incidents, 61 were of abusive behaviour, six were violent assaults, four were of damage and desecration of properties, six were threats for killing and one was of mass mailed anti-Semitic literature. Overall, a total of 473 anti-Semitic incidents were reported across the UK in the first six months of 2015 a 53% increase compared to the same period of 2014.
Terrorist attacks on the Jewish and Muslim population are rapidly increasing in Paris. On January 9, a kosher supermarket was attacked in Paris and this attack on Jewish community continued throughout February till March this year. Some mosques were also attacked and Muslims were harassed after the incident of Charlie Hebdo. In England, an old Bangladeshi man was recently killed for unknown reasons, but that is also the consequence of some kind of hatred. In the Middle East, the Muslim community is highly divided between the Shia and Sunni communities and they are killing each other out of sheer religious hatred.
In Bangladesh, religious fanaticism is now at its highest. Anyone discussing about the scientific reasons behind creation of the Universe, which may or may not agree with religious beliefs, are now being termed as atheists, who are eventually becoming victims of hate crimes. Government cant take strong measures against the killers. Perhaps they fear that their action will be understood as sympathy towards atheists by general public. A secular state should not discriminate between believers and non-believers of God/religion.
State has the duty to protect both. If anyones writings or utterances cause offence among the believers, they can take the matter to the court of law, but no individual or group can be allowed to kill anyone. Recently some ministers of Bangladesh government said that they will take actions against those whose writings are offensive against religion. But who will determine what is offensive for religion and what is free-thinking? If the state bureaucracy has decided on something like this, then all sorts of social progress and free thinking will be hindered.
In the US, Darwins theory of evolution was previously banned in schools because it contradicts religious beliefs. The ban had to be lifted otherwise the country would not have progressed in science. Religion is essentially not against scientific thinking. The prophet of Islam asked his followers to gather true knowledge and if necessary travel as far as China to seek that knowledge. The rise of Islam was possible in the Middle Age because of their close relation with Greek civilisation. Without scientific knowledge which is evolving from time to time, a nation cannot prosper. We cannot close the door of scientific thinking in the name of protecting religious beliefs.
Some western sociologists said, to protect itself, the dying capitalism tried to destroy human values of all religions and replace it with divisive politics. Present political Islam is also the creation of global capitalism, which is based on hatred for others beliefs but it contradicts the principle of original Islam. These sociologists also said that two world wars within 20 years of each other, had changed the social norms of the world, and replaced good human values with violence, greed and hatred. After the collapse of socialist powers, there were no great ideals to inspire the subsequent generation. In this social vacuum they were influenced by the wave of hatred instead of love and social harmony. Almost all nations, whether big or small, are now suffering from hate crimes.
To halt the disintegration of society and human values, we need a new social order. That order can only be created by free thinking and by the spread of scientific knowledge. Today or tomorrow, a new generation may arise, armed with free and scientific thinking that can prevent destruction of humanity and human civilisation. Perhaps we will have to wait for that new dawn with patience and perseverance.
The writer is a veteran journalist of Bangladesh origin who writes from London
