Staff Reporter:
The country’s 145 prominent citizens have vowed to fight against the communal forces in Bangladesh and urged the Indian nationals to build a strong resistance in their country for the same purpose.
In a statement floated for the media on Friday, the 145 citizens said that there is basically no difference in terms of the crisis in the lives of common people between the two countries.
“We will fight against communal forces in our country, you will also stand against communalism in your country,” they said in the statement expressing grave concern over the worsening bilateral situation.
“We are going through a situation when the friendly relationship between Bangladesh and India took a critical turn. Meanwhile, crack is developing in the friendly relationship due to the continuous provocation of a group of Indian radical communal forces,” said the statement.
It is learnt that the people of India have been fighting against the strong Hinduism and the communal forces when the people of Bangladesh have ensured the fall of the fascist Awami League rule through an upsurge.
Many Indian nationals expressed their solidarity and observed many programmes in support of the toppling of the fascist Awami League government during the blood-stained struggle in July-August.
There has been a longstanding tradition to express solidarity over the democratic movement in both countries, it said.
The signatories praised Indian solidarity with Bangladesh’s democratic movements during the recent July-August uprising against the former Awami League regime.
The statement criticised how governments across the subcontinent exploit communalism to divert attention from pressing issues like education, healthcare, inflation and violence against women.
“Communalism creates divisions and serves as a tool for political gains, especially during times of political change, often resulting in attacks on minority communities,” it noted.
The statement condemned sections of the Indian media for spreading false narratives about Bangladesh.
It cited an example of a fabricated report by an Indian outlet regarding a Dhaka-Agartala transport incident, which it claimed fuelled the attack on Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commission in Agartala.
Although the Indian government expressed regret over the attack, the signatories criticised its failure to curb misinformation and propaganda.
“Such narratives benefit communal forces and oppressive regimes while harming the interests of ordinary people,” they added.
The signatories expressed surprise over the Indian government’s swift defence of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das, who was arrested in Bangladesh.
They stated that while everyone has the right to a fair trial, the subsequent violence, including the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif, was alarming.
They commended the collective efforts of Bangladeshi citizens to prevent further unrest.
The statement recognised the historical contributions of the Hindu community in Bangladesh’s independence and democratic movements.
“During the July-August uprising, many Hindus joined the struggle, with some even sacrificing their lives. Their role in establishing a secular state has always been significant,” it said.
The statement was signed by notable academics, activists, and cultural figures, including Anu Muhammad, Salimullah Khan, Syeed Ferdous, Harun-or-Rashid, Gitty Ara Nasreen, Fahmidul Haq, Tuhin Wadud, Mosharrafa Mishu, Jyotirmoy Barua, Amitabh Reza Chowdhury, Kamar Ahmad Simon, and many others.
