The communal violence in Bangladesh has shaken the country. The minority Hindus are continuously under attacks of communal threats. The administration has completely failed to control the situation. However, Sheikh Hasina, somehow managed to steal some limelight by delivering some of her regularly practised speeches on media and television. However in reality the Hasina Government has completely failed to maintain law and order and also failed to provide proper protections to minorities.
In the past 12 years the Hasina led Awami League government has harmed a lot in the Secular and Progressive structure of Bangladesh. On many occasions, Communal polarisations and incidents took place with Awami League's direct or indirect patronisation. The state is often being run by communal hegemonic rules under the Awami Government. The government has destroyed the democratic means and nature of the government. It re-inforced Islam as the state religion. The communal propaganda is very high. Hindus and other minorities have faced continuous attacks under the Awami League government. Many constitutional institutions have been destroyed. Most importantly the media, administration and the intellectuals are completely under control of Mr. Mujib's daughter. Hence we can say a complete totalitarianism is now ruling Bangladesh.
As per the data of ASK, in the last 12 years Hindus have faced near about 4000 communal attacks. In 1559 cases their homes have been burned. Their local businesses and shops have been destroyed 442 times. This year, more than 70 Durga Puja pandals were vandalised. In the last decade nearly 1700 temples have been destroyed. 862 is the number of the injured minorities in the last decade. The number of dead hindus are 11. However, these are just normal statistics. The actual numbers are more than these.
The administration has not protected the minorities. The totalitarianism in Bangladesh is not letting any other political powers come to power. Moreover, the party enjoys undisputed power due to uncompetitive political culture in the country. No other political party ( except BNP+Jamaat coalition) has the power to overthrow Hasina and Awami league. All the elections are rigged. People hence do not have any choices except voting for Awami Government.
But above all, the Awami government has an image. An image of representing the freedom fighters in the country. Also it carries a pro-minority face. If any incident of any kind of communal polarisation or violence occurs, Awami clearly points its fingers to the BNP+Jamaat coalition and secures its political throne. It uses the minorities every time for the sake of the political power it enjoys. The Awami government clearly does not have any intention to serve the minorities. Instead, in the time of their government almost each day minorities are subjected to communal attacks and threats. On their destruction, Awami secures its political throne.
Awami practises a politics of Fear Psychosis. It sincerely frightened the minorities with the fear of the Bangladesh National Party ( BNP). The politics of Awami League is interesting. It says that if the BNP-Jamaat coalition comes to power then the minorities will be destroyed. By implementing this on the psyche of the minorities it secures the minority vote bank. Minorities stick to them for their legit insecurities. Hence on one hand Awami patronises the communal forces and on the other they gather the entire hindu votes by implementing the fear psychosis.
Many have been saying that this genocides against minorities is a conspiracy. Bangladesh holds good relations with India. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a friend of Hasina. He chose to keep his silence on the issue. Suvendu Adhikari the Bharatiya Janata Party member and the opposition leader in West Bengal said that the incidents will help the Bharatiya Janata Party to strengthen its footholds in Bengal. The BJP will carry out it's anti-muslim politics by pointing fingers to this incident. They've already started to do so. In Tripura, anti muslim riots have started.
Communal polarisation and politics destroy the ethos and cultures of democracy. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union it is related to Imperialism. Only a proper democratic culture can end this system. If you want to restore the democratic ethos then you must fight against the Awami League. The people who're still thinking a democratic Bangladesh under the Awami regime are living in a world of fools.
Aniruddha Anjan
Presidium Member, Communist Party of Bangladesh.
