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As Khaleda Zia is released from prison, read how her party supported insurgency in India’s NorthEast and carried out anti-Hindu attacks along with Jamaat

Dibakar Dutta
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As Khaleda Zia is released from prison, read how her party supported insurgency in India’s NorthEast and carried out anti-Hindu attacks along with Jamaat

On Monday (5th August), the incumbent Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the immediate release of Begum Khaleda Zia, who had previously been jailed for embezzling $250,000 in donations meant for an orphanage.

The development came hours after Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and fled the capital city of Dhaka.

In a statement, Shahabuddin said, “(It was) decided unanimously to free Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia immediately…The meeting has also decided to free all the people who have been arrested during the student protests.”

While it was not immediately clear whether Khaleda Zia would head the ‘interim government’, the increased role of the radical Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) in the context of Bangladesh’s politics became imminent.

When the Chief of Army Staff Waker-uz-Zaman addressed the nation on Monday evening, he made it clear that he has been in consultation with both JeI and BNP leaders and was yet to ‘talk to student activists’ (who spearheaded the protests against Sheikh Hasina).

OpIndia had previously reported how Islamists had infiltrated the anti-government protests and are now eyeing to turn the country bankrupt.

Insurgency in North-eastern India, ISI’s role and BNP’s support

The decision to free Begum Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of the BNP since 1984, has brought back dark memories of the Indian subcontinent.

Under her Prime Ministership, there was severe mushrooming of radical Islamic outfits in Bangladesh, increased infiltration in India’s North-east region and systematic persecution of the Hindu community.

In March 1997, Khaleda Zia had expressed open support for insurgents in India’s North East by labelling them as ‘freedom fighters.’

Screengrab of the 1997 report

During a public meeting in the Feni district of Bangladesh, she said, “They are fighting for independence. We also fought for it, so we are always in favour of any independence movement.”

She also made it clear that Bangladesh would not use its army against the insurgency in the seven North-Eastern States. Her stance was reiterated by BNP’s secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuyian.

Khaleda Zia lamented that Sheikh Hasina was not allowing insurgents easy transit to India through Bangladesh. It is interesting to note that BNP came to power

Screengrab of the report

According to reports, insurgent outfits such as the Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), All Tripura Tigers Force (ATTF) or National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) received arms training in Bangladesh under the supervision of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

“ISI exerts on north-east militant groups. This effort has been greatly boosted with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) assuming power in Dhaka in 2001. Dominated by policy-makers who advocate an anti-India line, Khaleda Zia’s government has been a silent abettor of the ULFA-NDFB-ATTF-NLFT-ISI nexus,” wrote leading strategic analyst Nitin A Gokhale in August 2005.

BNP has been vocal about its anti-India stance. Until recently, it was urging its party members and radical Islamists in Bangladesh to boycott Indian products.

The ‘India Out’ campaign in Bangladesh, modelled along the lines of Maldives, was supported by BNP’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. However, the anti-India propaganda was short-lived due to the efforts by the Sheikh Hasina government to curb it.

Imtiaz Ahmed, a political science professor at Dhaka University told Frontline magazine, “It is mainly being driven by the Bangladeshi diaspora who are either BNP members or closely associated with the party.”

Anti-Hindu stance and targeting of the community

Begum Khaleda Zia had spread canards against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh time and again to keep Muslim hardliners on her side.

She had once infamously claimed in 1996 that if the Awami League came to power, Azaan (Muslim call to prayer) would be replaced by Shankhadhoni (blowing of conch shells by Hindus).

It must be mentioned that the BNP was in power when Islamists went on a carnage to avenge the demolition of the disputed structure in Ayodhya.

On 6th December 1992, a strong mob of 5000 Muslim men, armed with bamboo sticks and roads, tried to storm a cricket match played between India and Bangladesh at the Dhaka National Stadium.

Screengrab of the 1992 news report by United Press International

Their attempts were foiled by the police, who fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the frenzied mob. As per a report by United Press International, a mob of 1000 Muslim men barged into the Hindu Shiva temple in Thatari Bazar district of Dhaka and razed it to the ground.

Islamists also attacked a Hindu temple in the Narinda district and gravely injured an 88-year-old Hin du priest in a bomb attack. Muslim mob also tried to break into the Dhakeswari Mandir in Dhaka.

They also looted shops belonging to the Hindus and smashed the cars of the minority community with sticks and iron bars.

According to the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), the pogrom was executed by the radical Islamist outfit Jamat-i-Islami which was an alliance partner of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

The riots were not spontaneous but rather well-planned. An estimated 2400 Hindu women were gang raped, and 3500 temples and religious establishments were destroyed by frenzied Muslim mobs.

Over 28000 homes and 2500 commercial buildings belonging to the Hindu community were razed. An estimated 700 Hindus were killed in the carnage. The numbers were conservative as acknowledged by several prominent politicians at that time.

Role of BNP in the infamous 2001 and 2014 anti-Hindu riots

In 2001, about 25000 Islamists including 25 MPs and Ministers of BNP carried out targeted attacks on the Hindu community.

“Hindu leaders said there were a series of attacks against them, including murder, looting and rape which began as the results were announced. They said Islamist parties and the BNP targeted them because they supported the rival Awami League political party in those elections,” a report by BBC stated.

Many Bangladeshi Hindus were forced to flee the country after the planned carnage. In 2014, BNP members and Jamaat-e-Islami thugs carried out 160 attacks on the Hindu community.

Bangladesh crisis: Australian Jewish Association condemns attack on Hindus, highlights the danger posed by radical Islamists

Siddhi Somani
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Bangladesh crisis: Australian Jewish Association condemns attack on Hindus, highlights the danger posed by radical Islamists

On Tuesday, the 6th of August, the Australian Jewish Association (AJA) condemned the ongoing violence against Hindus in Bangladesh after the country’s PM Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday. Calling out the violence by radical Islamists against Hindus in Bangladesh, AJA CEO Robert Gregory said that such incidents show the threat and danger posed by radical Islam all over the world.

“As Jews, we are familiar with persecution under radical Islam. We have seen terrible footage from Bangladesh, including the violence directed against #Hindus. Our thoughts are with the victims. These scenes are reminiscent of scenes in numerous countries across the world and show the dangers posed by radical Islam,” the official statement read.

“The Albanese Government must speak out against these atrocities. I urge Foreign Minister Penny Wong to make a statement. The Albanese Government has provided thousands of visas to Gazans where polls show extremely high levels of support for Islamic terrorist groups. Members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh would be much more suitable candidates for visas to Australia,” he added.

After Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, several Hindu temples have been attacked at the hands of Muslims. Also, more than 50 attacks have happened against Hindus. According to X handle Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, these attacks happened within five hours of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Notably, the actual number of attacks could be much higher than reported in the list below. The document has listed 54 attacks.

Along with several other local temples, the Islamists also attacked the ISKCON temple as confirmed by the Spokesperson for ISKCON India, Yudhistir Govinda Das. “As per the info I have received, one of our ISKCON centres (rented) in Meherpur (Khulna division) was burnt including with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. 3 devotees who lived in the centre somehow managed to escape & survived,” Das confirmed.

The Islamists also are believed to have targeted Hindu families residing in the country, the videos of which have been making rounds on social media.

While the political landscape of Bangladesh is witnessing one of the toughest times in history, Hindus and other minority communities are the most vulnerable as Islamist mobsters are taking advantage of the situation to attack them. Amidst these attacks, left-liberals and Islamists have been seen either denying or justifying the attacks.

US revokes Sheikh Hasina’s visa after her removal from power, UK tells her ‘no provision’ for asylum

OpIndia Staff
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US revokes Sheikh Hasina’s visa after her removal from power, UK tells her ‘no provision’ for asylum

The United States has revoked the visa of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, according to reports. This development follows reports that Western countries, including the US, wanted her removed from power.

After resigning and fleeing to India amid violent protests in Bangladesh, Hasina is currently at Hindon Airbase in Ghaziabad.

British immigration rules do not permit individuals to travel to the country to seek asylum or temporary refuge, as per reports citing the UK Home Office. This statement comes amid ongoing speculation that ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, currently in Delhi, might fly to London to seek sanctuary.

The UK government, now led by Sir Keir Starmer following Labour’s recent landslide victory, also emphasised that individuals seeking asylum must do so in the first safe country they reach.

“The UK has a proud record of providing protection for those in need. However, there is no provision for someone to travel to the UK specifically to seek asylum or temporary refuge,” said a UK Home Office spokesperson.

“Those requiring international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach, as this is the quickest route to safety,” the spokesperson added.

Nonetheless, sources indicate that a formal asylum request is being processed.

On Monday, the military facilitated Sheikh Hasina’s departure from Dhaka after weeks of growing pressure from anti-government protests against her reservation policies. These protests escalated into violent unrest, resulting in over 440 deaths in recent weeks. Shortly after her resignation, protesters stormed her residence, causing widespread vandalism.

Upon her arrival in India on Monday, Hasina was greeted by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior military officials, who assured her of complete security. The Indian Air Force monitored her flight, deploying Rafale fighter jets to ensure her safe passage. The situation in Bangladesh remains volatile, with the military announcing the formation of an interim government led by Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar informed Parliament that Hasina had reached out to India for safe passage following her sudden resignation. In a suo motu statement in the Rajya Sabha, Jaishankar mentioned that Hasina was granted approval to travel to India on “very short notice.”

“On August 5th, demonstrators gathered in Dhaka despite the curfew. Following a meeting with security establishment leaders, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seemingly decided to resign,” Jaishankar stated in Parliament. “On very short notice, she sought approval to come to India temporarily. We simultaneously received a flight clearance request from Bangladeshi authorities. She arrived in Delhi yesterday evening,” he added.

Branded ‘bloodsucker’ by Sheikh Hasina to being a ‘US asset’: Meet Muhammad Younus, chief advisor of interim govt of Bangladesh, who was interviewed by Rahul Gandhi in 2020

Dibakar Dutta
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Branded ‘bloodsucker’ by Sheikh Hasina to being a ‘US asset’: Meet Muhammad Younus, chief advisor of interim govt of Bangladesh, who was interviewed by Rahul Gandhi in 2020

A day after Sheikh Hasina resigned as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, controversial Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on Tuesday (6th July) announced that he would be the chief advisor to the interim government.

“When I was contacted on behalf of the students, I didn’t agree at first. I told them I have a lot of work to finish. But the students repeatedly requested me,” a source of The Daily Star quoted him as saying.

Yunus, who had previously expressed his happiness over the anarchy that led to the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, added, “If the students can sacrifice so much, if the people of the country can sacrifice so much, then I also have some responsibility.”

Journalist Sidhat Sibal informed on Monday that Yunus is all set to return to Bangladesh from France. The controversial Nobel laureate had hailed 5th August 2024 as ‘Second Liberation Day.’

In January this year, a labour court in Dhaka found him guilty of violating the labour laws of Bangladesh. He was convicted, sentenced to 6 months of simple imprisonment and fined Tk 30000 (~$260).

Yunus and three other directors at ‘Grameen Telecom’ violated labour laws by failing to create a welfare fund for the workers in the company. 

The labour court Judge, Sheikh Merina Sultana, noted that 67 Grameen Telecom employees were supposed to be made permanent in the company which did not happen.

As per the company’s stated policy, it is supposed to share 5% of the dividends with the staff, which failed to materialise. Muhammad Yunus is currently facing 100 other charges for graft and labour law violations in Bangladesh. 

The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner founded Grameen Bank in 1983 to lend small loans to the poor. He was earlier fired as Managing Director of his bank for violating retirement regulations of the Bangladeshi government.

Yunus was also on trial for receiving money in 2013 for receiving money without government permission. He was infamously called a ‘bloodsucker’ by Sheikh Hasina for giving out loans to the poor at extremely high interest rates.

However, nothing compares to the fact that he is an asset to the Western World, particularly the United States. In 2009, Muhammad Yunus was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the then US President-turned-war criminal Barrack Obama.

A year later, he was felicitated with the Congressional Gold Medal. He was also the recipient of the Fulbright Scholarship from the US State Department.

When he was convicted in January this year, the United States came to his rescue and highlighted the ‘global criticism’ surrounding his sentencing by a labour court in Dhaka.

Muhammad Yunus is the recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, which was established by two CIA-linked American organisations in memory of a CIA groomed Philippines president.

It may be noted that the award was constituted by New York-based Rockefeller Brothers Fund. In 2000, Ramon Magsaysay Emergent Leadership Award was established by Ford Foundation, another American organisation.

Both these organisations are known for working for American interests in foreign countries, and have a history of closely working with the CIA. In fact, the Ford Foundation is alleged to be a philanthropic facade of the Central Intelligence Agency.

It is interesting to note that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interviewed the controversial Muhammad Yunus in July 2020 during the Coronavirus pandemic.

He had raked up the issue of ‘migrant workers’ in a bid to internationalize the issue.

“We have people working for us, cooking food for us, security persons, darbaan for us, they are taking care of our children. We knew them. But suddenly we see millions of them on the highway trying to go home. Suddenly, all the city migrant workers are coming out of the city in a big crowd and going out. For a simple reason, they have nothing here, no life here, no money here to survive. So, ultimate place they can go back to is their home. So, desperately they are going home. And then on foot, thousand-mile journeys. That is the saddest part that Coronavirus has revealed,” Yunus had said during the interview.

Mainpuri, UP: Javed, Ujjain Khan and others force Harshit Gupta to convert to Islam, arrested after 25-year-old’s dead body recovered from Javed’s home

Siddhi Somani
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Mainpuri, UP: Javed, Ujjain Khan and others force Harshit Gupta to convert to Islam, arrested after 25-year-old’s dead body recovered from Javed’s home

On Tuesday, 6th August, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested four individuals one of whom has been identified as Javed for forcing a Hindu man identified as Harshit Gupta, 25 to convert his religion to Islam. The incident came to the fore after Gupta who had been working with Javed and staying at his residence was recovered dead. His body was found hanging to the roof.

According to the reports, the incident is said to have happened in the Mainpuri area of Uttar Pradesh. Gupta belonged to the Kasganj area but stayed in Manipuri as he worked for Javed in his seed shop. It is believed that the accused persons murdered Gupta and hung his body by the roof. The accused persons also tried to damage Gupta’s face by pouring acid on it.

Family members of Gupta confirmed that Javed and his family were pressuring Harshit to convert his religion to Islam. They also tried to cut his ties with his parents. “My wife died recently in December 2023. But they didn’t allow my son to visit our home. At that time Harshit had told me that Javed and his family were pressuring him to convert to Islam,” Harshit’s father stated.

Harshit’s father also added that his son was not allowed to participate in any of the Hindu religious functions. He lodged a missing person complaint after they lost contact with Harshit on 16th July. Hashit had been working for more than 8 years in Javed’s shop.

On investigation, police recovered his dead body from one of the rooms in Javed’s home. His body was hanging from a white cloth on the roof and his face was completely damaged. The police have sent the dead body for post-mortem and arrested 4 persons identified as Javed, Ujjain Khan, Jain Razi, and one more individual.

The arrests have been made. The probe is underway.

TheWire’s Arfa Khanum Sherwani and US citizen Siddharth Varadarajan dismiss anti-Hindus attacks in Bangladesh: Whitewashing, defense of Jamaat, ISI and China

Anurag
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TheWire’s Arfa Khanum Sherwani and US citizen Siddharth Varadarajan dismiss anti-Hindus attacks in Bangladesh: Whitewashing, defense of Jamaat, ISI and China

On 5th August, Bangladesh was pushed into chaos after a successful coup leading to the ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina. Later, she fled the country to a safer location as the agitated mob was about to reach her residence. The protests that started against reservation for the family members of the freedom fighters turned into full-fledged violence against the government. Several protesters were killed as the government used armed forces and police against the protesters leading to the fall of Hasina’s government. Amidst all the political drama in the neighbouring country, The Wire’s founding editor Siddharth Varadarajan, who is an American citizen, and its journalist who is more of a propagandist, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, did a live discussion whitewashing the atrocities faced by Hindus in Bangladesh in the guise of the protests. It is pertinent to note that the coup in Bangladesh is being widely speculated to be a regime change operation by the US deep state.

‘Baseless and foolish claims’ – Varadarajan dismissed concerns for Hindus’ safety in Bangladesh

During the discussion, Varadarajan completely dismissed the possibility of Hindus being under attack in Bangladesh. His statement came at a time when social media was filled with videos and reports of Hindu establishments, temples and houses under attack at the hands of Muslim mobs running rampage in Bangladesh.

He said, “Right-wing people in India are saying that Bangladesh will now be dominated by Islamic fanaticism. Various speculations and allegations are being made, including concerns about what will happen to the Hindus and Christians in Bangladesh. These are all baseless and foolish claims. The fact is that Sheikh Hasina, although a dictator, was a very secular dictator.”

He added that if the minority community in Bangladesh, that is the Hindus, felt oppressed for the past 10-15 years, it was because of Hasina’s government as everything happened under her supervision. He said, “I believe the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, different parties, will try to take advantage of this situation. Although the movement is somewhat spontaneous, it is not heading towards anarchy.”

On the contrary to the claims made by both the propagandists, Hindus have been facing attacks across Bangladesh in the guise of protests against the government. In fact, Bangladeshi media itself has reported that Hindus faced attacks in 27 districts. Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, houses and businesses belonging to the Hindu community were attacked in 27 districts. According to the report, the homes of Pradip Chandra Roy and Muhin Roy were vandalised and looted in Telipara village and Thana road, respectively in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

In Kaliganj upazila, the homes of four Hindu families in Chandrapur village were attacked. 12 Hindu houses in Hatibandha upazila’s Purbo Sardubi village were burnt while several Hindu houses were vandalised and looted in Bandhavgarh’s Sadar upazila. Ten Hindu houses were attacked in Dinajpur and a Temple was attacked in Railbazarhat.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council released a list of attacks that took place on Hindu temples, houses and establishments that belonged to the Hindu community in the country. According to the list, in Sherpur, the house of the president of the Sribardi Upazila Youth Unity Council was attacked, vandalised and looted.

In Khulna, the houses of Shyamal Kumar Das and Swajan Kumar Das in Highgate village of Rupsa Thana area, houses of Biman Bihari Amit, president of the Khulna District Unity Council and Animesh Sarkar Rinku, president of the Youth Unity Council in Tootpara of Khulna city, house of Jayanta Gain in Amtali Banisanta, Dacope, and houses of the minority community in Darpara, Koyra were attacked, vandalised and looted. In Feni, the Durga Temple was attacked. In Dinajpur, the Fulthala cremation ground was forcefully occupied. Five temples including Kali Mandir in Parbatipur were vandalised. Minority community houses were attacked and looted in Setabganj Bochakganj and Dhalla village of Chirirbandar Thana area. A comprehensive list of attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh compiled by OpIndia can be checked here.

Varadarajan claimed India’s agencies failed as they did not predict the end of Hasina’s regime

Amusingly, Varadarajan claimed that India’s agencies were not keeping an eye on the situation in Bangladesh. He used a post by ANI where agencies were quoted saying they were keeping an eye on the movement of Hasina’s plane. He said, “I found it amusing when I saw the ANI’s tweet that India’s security agency had its eyes on that aeroplane. If our agency had been monitoring the emerging political situation in Bangladesh for the past six months to a year, they would have realized that Sheikh Hasina’s government would not last.”

Varadarajan tried to set a narrative that India’s agencies were so incompetent that they failed to keep an eye on the political turmoil in the neighbouring country. The idea might have stemmed from the fact that India did not interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. Maybe, Varadarajan was expecting India to meddle with Bangladesh’s affairs so that they could use it against the Modi government to set a narrative that it was India that made Hasina’s government fall.

He then moved to target Home Minister Amit Shah for calling Bangladeshi illegal immigrants “termites” and called it an anti-Bangladesh move. Interestingly, he skipped the fact that HM Shah did not call Bangladeshis termites but he called the illegal immigrants entering into India via illicit ways and obtaining fake documents, termites. These illegal immigrants are a menace and cause a lot of law and order problems for the country and thus the notion of calling them termites is not wrong at all. If anyone is in India illegally, they are eating up resources that are meant for Indians. A fact that Varadarajan chose to “forget”.

He further targeted the Indian government over CAA. He claimed that Hasina could not openly oppose the CAA that directly mentioned Bangladesh. He said, “This caused resentment among the people, who questioned how an independent country could tolerate such remarks from another nation.” Varadarajan mentioned CAA in a way that projects Hindus are safe in Bangladesh, something that he had asserted before during the discussion.

‘No role of Pakistan and China’ – Siddharth Varadarajan gave a clean chit to troublemakers

Varadarajan then claimed that the narrative that Pakistan or China could have supported the protests in Bangladesh was false. He claimed that the uprising involved various parties and it was not a conspiracy by Pakistan and China. “While Sheikh Hasina tried to maintain good relations with China, recent visits didn’t go well. India’s government was always cautious about her growing proximity to China,” he said.

He added, “Speculating that Pakistan or China had a significant influence on this movement is not serious talk. The protests were primarily driven by the actions of Sheikh Hasina’s government, and the future relations between India and the new government in Bangladesh will need careful handling to rebuild trust.”

‘It is a lesson for dictatorship’ – The nauseating narrative of ‘PM Modi is a dictator’ by Siddharth Varadarajan

During the discussion, Arfa said that it should be a lesson to the leaders of the nations who have a desire for dictatorship. “If it happens in Bangladesh, it will reach Pakistan, and if it is in Pakistan, it will reach Sri Lanka, and it could affect leaders and governments in India who wish to impose a dictatorial grip on their citizens,” said Arfa while putting a question what lessons Siddharth Varadarajan see in this regard.

Regarding India, he said, “This lesson is also relevant in India, where we see farmers’ movements and struggles for human rights, whether in Chhattisgarh with workers and farmers or in Kashmir, where people have long demanded the restoration of their statehood and special status.”

Answering questions from the viewers, they asserted that similar protests could occur in India if peaceful protests on any topic are not allowed. “If people are not allowed to voice their opinions democratically, it can lead to unrest,” they said.

Siddharth Varadarajan added, “Modi’s government has found more intelligent ways to suppress these movements without resorting to violence, unlike in Bangladesh. However, the intent and mentality remain dictatorial, trying to suppress the media through broadcasting bills.” He asserted that protests like Bangladesh have not happened in India [till now].

The discussion between Arfa and Siddharth Varadarajan was supposed to be on Bangladesh but it was used by them to set a narrative and send a warning to the Indian government to not “supress” the voice of the people on their side as it would result in nationwide protests. Not to forget, the Leader of the Opposition and Congress’s favourite Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly hinted that India is sitting on explosives and it only needs a spark to ignite protests. The narrative left-liberals are trying to set is that PM Modi is a dictator just like Hasina and what happened to her may happen to PM Modi in the future.

‘1971 to 2024 Hindus have always been tortured’: Meherpur ISKCON Temple spokesperson reveals the horror unleashed by Islamist mob against Hindus in Bangladesh

OpIndia Staff
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‘1971 to 2024 Hindus have always been tortured’: Meherpur ISKCON Temple spokesperson reveals the horror unleashed by Islamist mob against Hindus in Bangladesh

As Hindu houses and temples are being targeted in a violence-hit Bangladesh, Meherpur ISKCON Temple’s spokesperson Sumohan Mukunda Das shared the horrific details of the situation prevailing there. Notably, the Meherpur ISKCON Temple was vandalised and idols were smashed by the Islamist mob on 5th August.

Speaking to AajTak, Das said that the current situation for Bangladeshi Hindus is akin to how it was in the 1970s. He said that Hindu politicians, traders and Mandirs are being targeted by the Islamist mobs.

“They targeted our ISKCON Temple and vandalised it. A bomb was also hurled inside the temple. For the whole night, we had to hide in the jungle as when we sought refuge in someone’s house they said that if we allowed you in, they [the Islamists] would burn our house also. I am still hiding but to tell the truth to the world, I spoke to you. Hindus are always targeted. From 1971 to 2024, Hindus have always been tortured,” Das said.

Similarly, another ISKCON Bangladesh spokesperson Yudhisthir Govinda Das said, “As per the info I have received, one of our ISKCON centres (rented) in Meherpur was burnt including with the deities of Lord Jagannath, Baladev, and Subhadra Devi. Three devotees who lived in the centre somehow managed to escape & survived.”

Meanwhile, Chinmoy Krishnan Das, President of ISKCON Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, has expressed serious worries about the safety of Hindu temples in the aftermath of these attacks. He stated that appeals for assistance from the police and Rapid Action Battalion in Chittagong had gone unmet, with security forces reportedly escaping the area in civilian dresses.

“Three temples in Chittagong are under threat, but the Hindu community, along with some members of the Muslim community, have protected them so far. Many Hindus and other minorities are feeling unsafe and are fleeing to India through West Bengal and Tripura,” Chinmoy Das said.

As reported earlier in the day, the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council released a list of attacks that took place on Hindu temples, houses and establishments on Monday that belonged to the Hindu community in the country.

The attacks happened amidst the political turmoil taking place in Bangladesh. These attacks were reported to have happened within five hours. Notably, the actual number of attacks could be much higher than reported in the list below. The document has listed 54 attacks.

Bangladesh: Islamist hate preacher, who routinely spews venom against Hindus, targets ISKCON with wild claims amid rising anti-Hindu attacks

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Islamist hate preacher, who routinely spews venom against Hindus, targets ISKCON with wild claims amid rising anti-Hindu attacks

On Tuesday, 6th August, an Islamist hate preacher Rafiqul Islam Madani, who was arrested in the year 2021 for inciting violence and making objectionable remarks against the government uploaded a video on Facebook amid the ongoing Bangladesh political crisis. He attempted to spread lies and incite hate by claiming that Senior Jail Superintendent Subrata Kumar Bala of the Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail in Gazipur had open-fired at the prisoners. He, however, failed to provide any evidence to support his claims.

He said that Bala had opened fire at the prisoners resulting in many casualties. He also said that one of the prisoners had been ‘martyred’ during the fire. Madani who has a history of spreading violence further referred to Bala as an ISKCON member and ‘Sheikh Hasina’s Dalal’ and indicated that he, a Hindu was deliberately targeting the prisoners at Kashimpur High-Security Central Jail in Gazipur of Bangladesh.

After Sheikh Hasina’s resignation as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, several Hindu temples have been attacked at the hands of Muslims. Also, more than 50 attacks have happened against Hindus. According to X handle Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, these attacks happened within five hours of Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Notably, the actual number of attacks could be much higher than reported in the list below. The document has listed 54 attacks.

Amid this, Madani’s deliberate hate spread could fuel the attacks. Madani is followed by lacs of Islamists across the country who might get provoked by such hate spread against Hindus posing danger to the minority community. Madani allegedly in an attempt to justify attacks on minorities, claimed that Bala, a Hindu religious preacher had opened fire at prisoners at Gazipur.

Notably, no proof of such claims was provided by Madani.

In April 2021, Madani was arrested from his residence in Netrokona in the Mymensingh Division of Bangladesh for inciting violence and making objectionable remarks against the government. A case was lodged against the preacher at the Gaccha police station in Gazipur. On preliminary investigation, the RAB found adult content on his mobile phone and said that it proved that Madani was a ‘fraud’ preacher.

The 29-year-old Hefazat-e-Islam preacher rose to national prominence in Bangladesh through his fiery speeches against the Awami League government on YouTube. He hails from Ledirkanda village in Purbadhala Upazila. A midget by height, Rafiqul Islam Madani is known as shishu bokta (child preacher). Born into a poor family, he studied at the Jamia Hussainia Malni Madrasa and completed his master’s degree in Islamic studies (Dawra-e-Hadith) from Jamia Madani Madrasa in Dhaka in 2019.

Rafiqul Islam Madani decided to become an orator and soon reached thousands of followers through social media. He operated two madrassas in Gazipur and Netrokona. He received legal notice for using the title ‘Madani’ despite not being a graduate of the Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia. He was earlier detained in March 2021 in the Motijheel area over inciting people to lead violent protests against PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka.

In many of his videos uploaded on social media, Madani is seen provoking Muslims to die for Islam. “We have to free this country and Isla, from the hands of the Mafia government and infidels…There must be one religious Head for all Islamic institutions. Under his directions, we will paralyze the government system and free this country from the hands of the mafias. If necessary, we will cede power to the army,” he could be heard saying in one of his videos.

Furthermore, he once instigated his followers by alleging that the student wing of the Awami League would kill him and other such preachers. Since then, several such rebellious clerics have been under the surveillance of the Intelligence agencies of Bangladesh. 

Rafiqul Islam Madani condemned Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Bangladesh that year, warning that his actions would prove his power or Modi’s stooges. Madani provoked Muslims to stop Modi from entering the soil of Bangladesh and to die if necessary, leading to widespread violence and destruction of Hindu temples. He also threatened to capture Delhi stating that no power or fence could stop his plans. Madani urged Muslims to keep their faith strong and face martyrdom if needed.

He incited the Muslims by saying that Sheikh Hasina was working on the terms of Hindutva and that whatever Modi wanted, happened in Bangladesh. “Today, all temples are being upgraded and the mosques here are dying. This means whoever will speak against Modi will be tortured and jailed… In the name of lockdown, they will shut down mosques and madrassas. We will not follow anything… We want this country to be a true Islamic Republic,” Rafiqul Islam Madani said.

In the current scenario too, Madani is trying to spread hate against Hindus using social media. He, however, fails to provide any evidence to support his claims.

As visuals of Hindu homes getting burnt, temples being attacked in Bangladesh emerge, AltNews’ Md Zubair deploys old narrative of ‘Muslims forming human chain to protect Hindu places’

Rukma Rathore
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As visuals of Hindu homes getting burnt, temples being attacked in Bangladesh emerge, AltNews’ Md Zubair deploys old narrative of ‘Muslims forming human chain to protect Hindu places’

The bloody protests that started in June as an anti-quota movement have been plaguing Bangladesh for almost two months. On 5th August things took a significant turn as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed resigned and departed the nation. She has since landed at the Hindon air base in India, where National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met her. The army is now in charge of the neighbouring country and has installed an “interim government” composed of judges, doctors and former military personnel as announced by Army Chief Waker-uz-Zaman.

Meanwhile, the extremists backed by Begum Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the outlawed Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami have taken over the streets. The agitation, which began under the garb of democratic student rallies, has since degenerated into a violent display of unrest, hatred for minorities, especially Hindus, death and devastation. There is nothing democratic about the current state of affairs in Bangladesh, rather, it is shockingly brutal and provides the fundamentalists carte blanche.

Islamists don’t need a reason to target minorities in any country and likewise, they are “saving democracy” in Bangladesh by going after the Hindus there with impunity. Their counterparts in the Indian media are also dutifully covering up the former’s violent deeds, precisely as they always have. Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News who has always been at the forefront to assist his ideological and religious brethren, has once again stepped in to defend their murderous actions.

Interestingly, despite his unwavering commitment, he is clearly running out of creative ways to advocate for the Islamic zealots. On 6th August, he posted a long thread about Muslims in Bangladesh allegedly ‘protecting Hindus’ including the customary “forming a human chain to safeguard temples.” Anyone will undoubtedly have a deja vu moment because Islamists and their cheerleaders do this routinely to attempt to manipulate public opinion in their favour by portraying Muslims as peaceful and secular people who guard temples and protect Hindus during critical times while ignoring the violent acts of Islamists. However, they never address the reasons or the individuals from whom the Hindus or their temples needed protection as it would expose their bogus narrative.

Mohammed Zubair shared multiple posts showing Muslims standing outside temples, including the prominent Dhakeshwari Temple, to guard them in an effort to downplay the ongoing killings and rapes of Hindus as well as the vandalism of their religious places by Islamists . He also mentioned about an alleged appeal from a group called ‘Students Against Discrimination’ from a mosque to “maintain communal harmony” and “protect Hindu minorities and their wealth from miscreants and evil forces.”

These uploads are reminiscent of similar incidents including the infamous episode when 100 Muslim youths reportedly formed a ‘human chain’ outside a Hanuman temple located near Shampura main road to protect it from arsonists after Islamists wreaked havoc and specifically assaulted Hindus in Bengaluru in 2020.

Strangely, Mohammad Zubair and his fellow apologists never mention who or what the Hindu temples and homes are being protected from.

The perpetrators were projected as good guys as their crimes were conveniently excused and whitewashed in the name of a “human chain” by Mohammad Zubair, who in his desperation to shield the extremists cited a Bangladeshi Islamist account that referred to Hindu females as bitches after a Hindu woman was attacked by a police official in Dhaka and has been spreading hatred against the community for years.

Liberal-Islamist ecosystem and its deceiving methods of depicting Muslim rioters as good samaritans

Taking a cue from the Nazi handbook and Adolf Hitler who once stated, “All propaganda must be confined to a few bare necessities and then must be expressed in a few stereotyped formulas. Only constant repetition will finally succeed in imprinting an idea upon the memory of a crowd,” the Liberal-Islamist ecosystem and their affiliate media have aced the art of crafting a straightforward narrative that is laced with deception and falsehoods. It then circulates the same lies repeatedly to discredit the persecution of Hindus or insinuate that their suffering is ‘collateral damage’ and not a product of Islamic oppression while simultaneously depicting the jihadis as kindhearted people.

Mohammad Zubair who unleashed a ruthless Islamists after former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Nupur Sharma for merely quoting a religious text in response to a jibe on Kashi Vishwanath Temple has a similar habit of whitewashing crimes of bigotry perpetrated by Islamists by selectively amplifying the photo-op good samaritanism.

Violence broke out in the state of Maharashtra in 2021 when protests and rallies were held across the state by some Muslim organizations in the aftermath of claims of attack on mosques in Tripura. Two journalists disseminated false information and alleged that a copy of the Quran had been burned and a mosque had been vandalized in Tripura, which set off a chain of violent incidents. The Muslim community even threw stones and indulged in violence when the BJP organized a nonviolent demonstration. However, the media protected the former and blamed the saffron party as well as the Hindus during the entire ordeal.

Similarly, in 2020 Muslims claimed that the Prophet Muhammad was disrespected and they marched to the streets, igniting chaos in Bengaluru. Hundreds of Muslims armed with sharp metal objects, sticks, iron rods, and other weapons congregated in the vicinity of Dalit Congress MLA Akhanda Srinivasamurthy’s home and stormed inside in reaction to an alleged insulting tweet posted by his relative. They pelted stones and set fire to nearby cars, ATMs (Automated teller machines) and stores as well as burned down a police station amidst chants of “Allahu Akbar” and “Naara e Takbeer.” Some media posts indicated that the riots were not spontaneous but prearranged. Meanwhile, the media was busy defending the rioters by amplifying a video of Muslim men ‘forming a human chain’ to protect a temple in the area.

Delhi’s anti-Hindu riots were also followed by the same events when news articles surfaced detailing how Muslims in the national capital established human chains in an attempt to “save temples.” Such “human chains” also appeared during demonstrations against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Similar impressions were created and spread during the communal unrest in Delhi Hauz Qazi after the destruction of a Hindu temple nearby. A manufactured narrative that promoted “secularism” and the “bond of brotherhood” was published in the media, alleging that Muslims were assisting Hindus in “installing the idols” and providing meals. As it happened, the reports were refuted by the Hindu activists in the area, who maintained that Muslims were merely providing food for “photo-ops.”

Conclusion

The Liberal-Islamist ecosystem repeats the same trope every single time to condition the masses to elicit a particular kind of social reaction. The first and foremost is to never blame the Muslims or hold them accountable for the mayhem they cause as they are merely a victim of their circumstances. They never initiate any violence and only respond to the events that are thrust upon them. Even when it occurs at the hands of Muslims, the bloodshed simply unfolds as a result of the situation and they are not responsible for it. Hence, anyone could be blamed including the administration, the state, and even the Hindus who are usually victims during such times, but never the Muslims. Lastly, fabricate tales to demonstrate that the Muslim community was not only innocent but was defending Hindus and their holy places to bend the propaganda to the advantage of the former. Notably, in the scenario, the rioters don’t have any religion but the ‘human chain’ always does.

‘Big power’, ‘important country with influence’: Iran Ambassador to India says India can influence Israel to stop war in Gaza

ANI
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‘Big power’, ‘important country with influence’: Iran Ambassador to India says India can influence Israel to stop war in Gaza

Terming India as a “big power” and “important country” Iran’s Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi on Tuesday said that there is an expectation that New Delhi can and should play a more active role in the current crisis in West Asia.

Speaking to ANI, Elahi stated that India has good ties with Israel and can use its influence to stop the genocide in this region and Gaza and keep the peace in Palestine.

On being asked about India’s role amid the ongoing crisis in West Asia, the Iranian envoy said, “Since the beginning of the tragic events and crimes of Israel in Gaza, I repeatedly mentioned that India is an important country, is a big power and influential country in the international community. Beside this, it has good relations with Israel and Iran and also India, as a non-aligned movement founder had supported Palestine case in the history of the region.”

“So, there is an expectation that India can and should play more active role in the current crisis in the region and tensions in the region. You know, the government of India has very good relation with the ruling party in Israel and the government of Israel. So, it can use its influence to convince them to stop this genocide in the region and in Gaza and stop crimes and keep the peace in Palestine. From the Iranian side, we are in collaboration with India in many cases and we hope that, you know, we are trying to convince India to keep peace in the region,” he said.

Over 2000 Hamas terrorists breached Israeli borders on October 7, killing 1200 Israelis and taking around 250 as hostages, out of whom around 120 are still in Hamas captivity, with many of them feared dead.
Following this, Israel launched a strong counteroffensive, carrying out military operations against Hamas in the Gaza Strip with the aim of “completely eliminating” the group.

The tensions in West Asia have further escalated after Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran’s capital, Tehran on July 31.

On July 31, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that Ismail Haniyeh had been killed in an attack in Tehran. A projectile hit a residence allocated to war veterans in Tehran at 2 am (local time), according to a Press TV report.

Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar, travelled to Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a Press TV report.

On August 1, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Thursday announced that Hamas military wing commander Mohammed Deif had been killed in an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip on July 13.

In a post on X, IDF stated, “We can now confirm: Mohammed Deif was eliminated.”The Israeli military said that it obtained intelligence confirming his death in the past few hours. Deif was targeted in a strike at Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade commander Rafa’a Salameh’s compound in Khan Younis area on July 13, The Times of Israel reported.

A day later, the IDF confirmed the death of Salameh. However, it did not have final information on Deif. The IDF believed that its intelligence indicated that Deif visiting the compound belonging to Salameh was highly accurate and the two Hamas military officials were together in the building that was hit with several heavy munitions, according to The Times of Israel report.

Meanwhile, the IDF said that top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in the Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on Tuesday (local time).The IDF said Shukr was “responsible for the majority of Hezbollah’s most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs” and for the terror group’s “force build-up, planning, and execution of terror attacks against the State of Israel,” The Times of Israel reported.

On July 30, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his nation has delivered “crushing blows” to enemies in the last few days, CNN reported. He made the remarks hours after the deaths of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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