Fatwas continue


I was born and brought up in Bangladesh. The Muslim fundamentalists issued fatwa against me and set price on my head. The government filed a case against me on the charges of blasphemy. I was forced to leave my country 19 years ago. Since then I have not been allowed to return to my country. I am considered the biggest enemy of the Muslim fundamentalists. All Islam loving people are supposed to live peacefully forever if only I leave the country. A hell of a lot of compromises have been done with fundamentalists. How come they still continue issuing fatwas? Bangladesh’s newspaper wrote:

Offences in the name of fatwa continue in the country despite their being declared illegal by the courts is unacceptable. However, the continued proactive role of the High Court on the issue is encouraging.

Recently, in response to a petition filed against a fatwa being imposed on a homemaker in Chittagong, the HC ordered a case to be filed and for those responsible to be arrested. The victim, who had filed a case of sexual harassment against a local political leader and his associates, was sentenced by him and his cronies at a village arbitration to be buried chest-deep into the ground and stoned.

The problem here is manifold. Not only were the woman’s grievances not addressed by the local authorities, but the accused took upon themselves the responsibility of punishing her for speaking out against them, with apparently no action being taken by the local police. Such gross transgressions of justice by the law enforcing agencies will discourage victims of crime from coming forward and reporting them. Not only is justice not served but in addition, the victims are re-victimised for reporting their perpetrators. The cycle of violence against the most vulnerable in society — rural, poor women — continues.

In such scenarios, the local community has a vital role to play in preventing such crimes from happening and reporting them when they do. In the above case, too, the matter came into public discourse after it was reported in the media, following which a human rights advocate filed the petition and the HC made its ruling — which we hope will be promptly implemented. While urging the authorities to do the needful in preventing and punishing fatwa related offences, we also appeal to the community at large to take a stand against such barbarism, by protesting it, reporting it and supporting the victims in their fight for justice.

There is a big hope that in one fine morning mullahs who issue fatwas will be prevented from issuing fatwas or will be punished for issuing fatwas! Will this ever happen? How many mullahs get punished for issuing fatwas and for stoning women to death so far? Almost none. Will anyone ever get punished in near future for committing crimes? Most probably no.

Maulana Habibir Rahman, Saikhul Hadis and others who issued fatwas against me, became so popular that big political parties offered them to join their parties. Those fanatics even got the nomination for general election. And finally became members of national parliament.

Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister of Bangladesh did not say anything against fatwas, she rather said, ‘Islamic scholars are allowed to issue fatwas.’ The truth is, fatwas will never end if Islam remains as the guiding force of government and law.

Comments

  1. madhu krishna says

    so sad, the world is still not a better place to live where one is suppose to get stones while expressing their feelings… in fact living their life….. you are the voice of those voice-less who are suppressed in your homeland…..

  2. Lofty says

    Every time I read something like this it reinforces how privileged I am. Even being poor relative to the mainstream in my culture (white secular Australia) it’s nothing like life as a woman under fundamentalist religious stupidity.

  3. grumpyoldfart says

    Well of course the Prime Minister is on the side of those issuing fatwas. She knows they’d cut her head off if she expressed her honest opinion.

  4. busterggi says

    Beleivers never notice that their ‘religion of peace’, whatever one it is for the individual, never actually achieves peace.

  5. kemist, Dark Lord of the Sith says

    How is it for hindus in Bengladesh ?

    I’m wondering because I have hindu friends from Bengladesh. Admittedly they do not come from rural regions, and both (they are a married couple with one adorable little girl) are college graduates.

    It’s also been a while since they went back. They’ve been in Canada for the last 4 years and before that they were in Japan for post-docs.

  6. Meem Wao says

    As u and others like u do no stop propaganda against Isalm, Mulllas also can’t stop fatwas. If you speak against Isalm then its called freedom of thoughts on the other side if Muslims preach Isalm they are called fundamentalist etc. I request you to speak against Hinduism, Christianity, Jewish and American war against countries and Israel’s cruelties against Palestine and Indian’s Army characterless behave with Kasmiries then I appreciate you of your true voice for Human right. and I’ll se how many countries give u awards and honorarium.

  7. says

    Well,

    I often defended secularism from islamist’s blames that secularism will lead to sexual shamelessness.

    I feel I was wrong … after reading some of your blog posts where you presented nudity etc.

    It only shows your low mentality.

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