The attack in two spells on Dewanbag mazar (shrine) followed by vandalism, looting and arson adds a new dimension to the growing intolerance to diversity of faith, opinion, sectarian 'otherness' and practices. In fact, the rising intolerance is conversely proportionate to the tolerance and laxity shown to the forces responsible for leading the attacks. If the fall of the authoritarian and repressive government has ushered in a desirable liberal environment, it has also made enough space for religious extremists and militant groups to sneak in and upset social stability and harmony.
The Students Against Discrimination (SAD) forum that has spearheaded the movement leading to the fall of Hasina government has derived its strength from the Ganotantrik Chhatra Shakti. The latter has maintained that it wants to steer clear of the secular-autocracy and Islamic-autocracy political binary in order to build a Bangladesh where people irrespective of their religious beliefs including atheists, liberals and religious conservatives can co-exist peacefully.
However, developments are contrary to such a wish list. It is not just the religious minorities who have reportedly come under attacks in as many as 205 incidents in 52 districts, 70 indigenous families across five districts in the country's northern area also fell victim to such attacks. Reportedly, transgender people were similarly attacked. The underlying idea is that anyone different from the attackers or with an identity of otherness has no right to live in this country. Such attacks are, therefore, counter to the very principle of anti-discrimination on which the student movement was built on. The latest attacks on Dewanbag shrine is, however, not the only of its kind. On August 25, the Aynal Shah Dargah shrine in Sonargaon was also destroyed.
Such attacks are not isolated from the concerted demolition drive against statues, sculpture and murals including the statue of Venus on the Shashi Lodge compound that survived the 1971 war, the Lady of Justice on the apex court premises, the Swadhinata Sangram Vaskarjya on Fuller Road, 500 works of sculpture at the Mujibnagar Liberation War Memorial Complex. Also the earlier attacks on Sufi shrines make it clear that the co-existence of different sects within the same belief is opposed and denied.
In this context, the interim government's policy on aggressive fundamentalism, terrorism and militancy needs to be clarified in clear terms. Soft-pedaling may prove disastrous ultimately. Some of the developments are particularly worrying. The release of the supremo of a dreaded Al-Qaeda-inspired militant outfit recently is indeed a cause for serious concern. Similarly, Sweden Aslam, a top terror in the country was released on bail on September 3 last. There are other instances of perceived leniency towards elements or groups not particularly known for their records of defending the causes of democracy, secularism, liberalism and intellectual enlightenment.
All this has had a very adverse influence on the mental makeup of the uninitiated. At a time when law and order is yet to be restored, many feel prompted to settle personal old scores. Even the anti-social elements are enthusiastic to make the most of the situation. With the widespread anarchy prevailing, the level of intolerance is also crossing the limit. Internecine feuds within a group or party leading to deadly clashes have been reported as well. On Saturday, a leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was beaten to death by his rivals in Kaliganj of Gazipur. Another leader of Narayanj was also severely beaten by rival factions on the same day. The political vendetta is, therefore, not confined to inter-party rivalry but has vitiated the intra-party relations too.
Evidently, the social environment is overcharged with conflict and advancement of selfish cause with an eye on political dividends. No lesson has been learnt from the reversal suffered by the previous regime. Indiscretion blatantly exposed at the level of the elders may have influenced the young ones to resort to such violence as striking a principal of a college with a hammer to have his resignation paper signed. Intolerance has seeped into different layers of an already divided society. Quite rightly, this issue emerged as the most daunting one before the interim government during the deliberations the chief adviser had with the editors of newspapers. National unity in diversity will be the hardest objective to achieve.
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