Press Release: Need to protect the rights of Hindus in Bangladesh: Key Congressmen observe

By Staff Reporter

Updates:

• Press Release: Need to protect the rights of Hindus in Bangladesh: Key Congressmen observe (5 Aug 07)
• HRCBM-FACT exhibition concluded at the Capitol Hill (3 Aug 07)
• Shahriar Kabir's interview to HJS
• HRCBM-FACT exhibition inaugurated in USA (31 Jul 07) 
• HJS supports FACT photo exhibition (ASRU) in the USA! (25 Jul 07)    

Press Release:

Washington D.C. (USA): An exhibition of photos and panels vividly describing the atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh caught the attention of influential Congressmen and key policymakers from the Bush administration this week.

The two day-exhibition titled "Asru" was held at the Rayburn House Office Building at the US Capitol on July 30 and July 31. The exhibit of 28 panels, which graphically chronicled the deteriorating condition of the Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh over the past several decades, was put together by the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM) and Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT). 

"It is time that the world knew what is happening with the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh," said Amalendu Chatterjee, HRCBM Director. The population of the Hindus in this Muslim-majority country, he pointed out, has dropped from as high as 37 percent in 1940s to a mere 11 percent now. "It is all because of the atrocities perpetrated on the Hindus by the ruling class all these years," he said.

In organizing an exhibition on the plight of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh for the first time in the history of the Capitol, the efforts of HRCBM and FACT did cut ice among the Congressmen and key policymakers who took time out of their busy schedule to take a look at what was on display. "All the representatives and their staffers reiterated the need to protect the rights of minorities and to deal with Islamic groups in a resolute manner," said Utsav Chakrabarti, the designer of the exhibit and member of FACT. 

The exhibition received bipartisan support from Congressional leaders and was attended by concerned citizens, political analysts and human rights representatives.

Moved by the graphic description of the condition of the Hindus and other religious minorities in Bangladesh, powerful Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) said in the visitor's book kept at the exhibition: "The international community must take action against these genocidal acts now before this culture is extinguished and the minorities forcibly killed, converted, or exiled in the face of an underground jihad." 

Royce who spent more than an hour at the exhibition hall visiting each and every panel expressed optimism that due to this effort by HRCBM and FACT, members of Congress will be educated "as to the extreme challenge and persecution faced by Hindus, Buddhists and Christians due to the threat posed by Islamic fundamentalism in Bangladesh." 

Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), who sponsored the event at the Capitol said after visiting the exhibition: "I was proud to be the Congressional sponsor of this important exhibit on human rights in Bangladesh.  I believe it helped to bring much-needed attention to the plight of minorities in Bangladesh who have suffered from increasing attacks over the past few years." 

Influential Joseph Crowley (D-NY), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Bangladesh, and member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, said the exhibition "serves as an important reminder to the international community that we must remain vigilant in preventing violence, suffering and loss around the world." He expressed his willingness to "continue working with my colleagues in Congress to help all of the people of Bangladesh to ensure their religious and ethnic backgrounds are respected".

The event also had presentations by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus for Bangladesh, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), and Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC), 

Other speakers at a panel discussion organized during the exhibition period included Richard Benkin, author, human rights activist, and defender of Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury; Shahriar Kabir, reputed journalist and human rights activist; Samaresh Baidya, senior reporter of Daily Bhorer Kagoj, a news daily in Bangladesh; and Toni Van Pelt, Government Affairs Director, Center for Inquiry Office of Public Policy. Also present at the event were Steve Snow, Senior Policy Analyst at United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and T. Kumar, Advocacy Director, Asia & Pacific, Amnesty International USA.

All the representatives and their staffers reiterated the need to protect the rights of minorities and to deal with Islamic groups in a resolute manner.  

Toni Van Pelt expressed dismay at the apathy of the human rights groups towards Hindu rape and molestation victims, while urging the media to take the cause of Hindus in Bangladesh by reporting such incidents. 

Shahriar Kabir urged for global pressure on governments in Bangladesh to take stringent action against Jamaat-e-Islam for its role in continuing atrocities against minorities. He also reiterated the need to repeal the vested interest property act which allows the government of Bangladesh to confiscate properties of non-resident Hindus and others it deems as an enemy of the state.

Samaresh Baidya narrated his first-hand experience facing the wrath of fundamentalist Islamists. He underlined the need for the journalist community to expose the reality of religious intolerance and persecution. 

Dwijen Bhattachariya, from the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, and Professor at Columbia University, felt that Bangladesh was quickly turning into a Taliban-like state with potential for becoming a breeding ground for the next generation of jihadi terrorists. 

Rosalind Costa, a social worker from Bangladesh narrated her experience rescuing women in rural areas. She described the case of two minor rape victims Rita Rani Das and Purnima Shil who were gang-raped by Jihadis and forcibly converted to Islam. 

"Our goal was to create awareness and activism in order to alleviate the plight of Hindus and other religious minorities in that region. And we have achieved it," said Chatterjee, adding that encouraged by the response, the organizers have now decided to take this exhibition to other parts of the country as well, with Houston being its next destination later this month. 

Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities: HRCBM is a non-profit organization holding consultative status with the United Nations. It is dedicated to protecting the human rights of religious minorities in Bangladesh. 

Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism: FACT is non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the effects of terrorism in South Asia through exhibitions and conferences.

 August 3, 2007

Photo 1

Highlights 

1. About 150 people attended the exhibition on the first day and 50 attended on the second day.
2. All the congressmen and US state representatives found the exhibition impacting and they echoed the importance of recognizing the root cause (Islamist fanaticism) of the atrocities against Hindus in particular.
3. It was heart-rending to hear the account of Bangladeshi Hindus’ suffering by Dr. Amalendu Chatterjee, who said that for days he they would not get anything to eat and the beards would grow several feet long.
4. The eye witness account by a Christian activist, Rosalyn Costa, from Bangladesh drew particular attention towards the atrocities she has seen against Hindus.
5. The press said that they would reproduce the whole content, including the re-iteration of the main culprit organization, Jamaat-e-Islam’s widespread network in the world, including America, too.
6. One Congressman identified himself as a Jew, and cited the example of the Jews and Israel in fighting persecution against them. He questioned why the Indian government was not doing anything for these people.
7. Mr. Salah Uddin Choudhary asked the exhibitors to specifically label the photos of the victims as that of the minorities, as he suspected that the Islamists could easily tout similar photos as that of the Bangladeshi Muslims being victimized.
   HJS representative was told that her speech had particularly moved the ex-residents of Bangladesh and East Pakistan, who had come to the exhibition, as they were touched that an Indian was feeling for this issue so much as even fellow Bangladeshis do not feel. After that speech, one of the East Pakistan ex-residents came forth to speak about their eye witness and suffering.
8. The ex-East Pakistan resident told HJS representative that it was the first time that she spoke out publicly about her eye witness account. She also said that East Pakistan too, has similar problems of suppressed genocide of Hindus/non-Muslim minorities.
9. Other ex-Bangladeshis also spoke to HJS representative about their eye witness accounts. When asked about why they did not speak up at the podium, they said, it was too emotional an issue for them. When asked why they did not turn to the Bangladeshi government for help, they said that the government is hand-in-glove with the Islamists, regardless of whether the government is Islamist or so-called democratic/secular. A young ex-Bangladeshi girl said that she hopes that this exhibition will stop this suffering and that never again young girls like her should have to undergo such suffering,
10. After HJS representative ’s speech, several Hindu activists, who had come all the way from New York, introduced themselves to her and discussed their views on this issue with her:
    • A Retd. Captain from Bangladesh Army (veteran from India’s Bangladesh Liberation war) and now a Human Rights activist, Sree. Sachin Karmakar gave HJS a copy of his factual analysis/article, ‘Consequences of Arab Occupation of India’. Encouragingly, he said, “You do your writing (work) and I will do mine.”
    • Sree. Rup Kumar Bhowmick, President of Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist and Christian Unity Council, USA, came up, commending HJS’ thinking.
    • Sree. Pabitra Choudhary discussed his views and commended HJS.
    • Major General (retd) C. R. Dutta, decorated war hero and Hindu community leader in Bangladesh discussed his scathing views.
11. HJS representative could get an interview (given later in this report) with Sree. Shahriar Kabir.
12. One of the young Hindu activists had liked HJS’ website and work, and requested HJS’ support on a campaign to repeal Indian Constitution’s Article-370 (that accords sovereignty to Kashmir.) When asked if he has approached the big Hindu organizations, he said that it is difficult to get them united, as they have big personal and organizational egos. Another Hindu activist also said that there seem to be too many politics that one has to play to get the support of established Hindu organizations. They were impressed by HJS’ work, despite being so young among the organizations. 
13. Sree. Kanchan ji Banerjee and Dr. Amalendu ji Chatterjee took the time to speak to HJS representative at length about the decline of Bengal, Bengali Hindu culture and their views on why it is so. Sree. Kanchan ji asked about Sanatan Sanstha and HJS’s aims and work, and agreed with it. He was particularly pleased about the spiritual force and Kshatradharma philosophy driving Sanatan Sanstha and HJS.

Interview by HJS with Shri. Shahriar Kabir

prominent Hindu writer, journalist and activist (www.SecularVoiceofBangladesh.org) from Bangladesh

HJS: Do you live here (in the US) like the other asylees from Bangladesh?
Shri. Kabir: No, no. I will be going back tomorrow to Bangladesh.
HJS: Has anything changed since these photos were taken of Hindus’ suffering in Bangladesh?
Shri.Kabir: Currently, it is a bit better since we have a ‘care-taker’ (interim) government. However, it will be bad once that is over (once the new government takes over.)
HJS: Have you turned to the Indian government for help?
Shri. Kabir: Oh, yes!
HJS: What is the response from the Indian government?
Shri. Kabir: Nothing, absolutely nothing! When I was in Mumbai recently, I was often asked by the media, “What about the atrocities against Muslims in Gujarat?” I said to them, “Don’t mix the issue. In what way is the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh justified against the problem you are having in Gujarat?” I have also argued with the Islamists in Bangladesh, “Here you are perpetrating atrocities on the minorities. Remember that you are the minority in over 40 countries. If you don’t treat the minorities here well, you will not be treated well where you are in minority!”
HJS: How is it that you are going back? Aren’t you putting yourself in danger?
Shri. Kabir: Of course! I have already been to jail for a year. I have already been attacked several times. They come from anywhere, right on the street, they have attacked me. My leg is broken in 4 places. That is why I am using this cane.
HJS: Aren’t you afraid for yourself and your family?
Shri. Kabir: I don’t care.
HJS: How come?
Shri. Kabir: Because, I am fighting for justice. I remember, one time, they had told me that I will easily get asylum in any of the European countries. The authorities said that they would give me asylum and assure a safe living for me. So I asked them, “What about my family?” They said, “We can bring your family here, too,” So, I asked them, “What about my organization?” They said, “If you feel any of your organization’s leaders too, are in danger, we can bring them too, here.” So, I asked them, “What about the 15 million Hindus there? Will you give them asylum, too?”
HJS: Thank you, Kabir ji, for your time.
Shri. Kabir: I have made a VCD about Hindus’ suffering in Bangladesh. Please take a copy of that VCD from Dr. Amalendu ji (he said he has not kept any copyrights) to show to as many people as possible. HJS representative now has a copy of that VCD which has interviews of the Hindu victims in Bangladesh.

HRCBM-FACT exhibition inaugurated in USA

July 31, 2007

Washington, DC (USA): HRCBM (Human Rights Commission for Bangladesh Minorities) and FACT held an exhibition on the genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh at Rayburn Building in the US Capitol on 30 and 31 July 2007. The exhibition was aimed at US Congressmen, media and the general public, to raise awareness about this problem of the continuing genocide of Hindus in Bangladesh since 1971 to date.  

The exhibition was attended by US Congressmen and political representatives from various states in the US. The exhibition contained 28-boards and highlighted the Bengali Indian and Hindu roots of Bangladesh, the advent and expansion of a destructive (particularly towards Hindus and Hindu culture) Islamic rule, statistics on the increasing atrocities against Hindus in the region and the planned manner (through formal education in 'madarassas' and 'jihadi' training camps) that this Islamist agenda is propagated, and the suppression of this issue by the Bangladeshi government, democratic or otherwise, which has supported the atrocities. The exhibition also highlighted the goals and demands of the Bangladeshi Hindus.

There were also sessions of speeches by the exhibition organizers, witnesses and victims of the atrocities in Bangladesh, including a Hindu reporter who has received several death threats already, had come especially from Bangladesh, as well as congressmen and representatives of US government. HJS representative spoke about the need to address this problem at all levels, like FACT is doing very well at the high political/government level and like HJS is doing at the grass roots level. HJS representative highlighted that HJS’ held FACT exhibitions Kashmir Hindus’ genocide is receiving thousands of visitors daily in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.

The exhibition also included books on sale in English and Bengali on this issue.

Response from the audience

• All the congressmen and US state representatives found the exhibition impacting and they echoed the importance of recognizing the root cause (fanaticism) of the atrocities against Hindus in particular.
• The eye witness account by a Christian woman from Bangladesh drew particular attention towards the atrocities she has seen against Hindus.
• The press said that they would reproduce the whole content, including the re-iteration of the main culprit organization, Jamat-e-Islam’s widespread network in the world, including America, too.
• Bangladeshis were moved by HJS representative ’s speech and came up to speak about their eye witness and suffering.

HJS supports FACT photo exhibition (ASRU) in the USA!

25 July 07

USA: In order to create awareness regarding the atrocities perpetrated on minorities in Muslim countries, the Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (FACT) is organising a heart-rending Traveling Exhibit on Bengal and Bangladesh named "ASRU" (Tears). This 30-panel comprehensive exhibit will encompass the history of Eastern India, a chronological depiction of its culture and religion in perspective and will focus on the ongoing Bengali Hindu Genocide. HJS representative in USA is helping to promotion this exhibition amongst the US Hindus and others.

FACT, a tax exempt, non-profit organization that works to raise awareness through exhibitions, conferences and public interactions, is working closely with the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM): www.hrcbm.org to organize this Traveling Exhibit on Bengal and Bangladesh.

The "ASRU" exhibit will be shown at the Rayburn House Office Building at the US Capitol (Washington DC) to the Senators and Congressmen on Monday, July 30th and Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 and will travel to other cities thereafter. An "ASRU" Exhibition Preview is now available online with a select few panels for viewing at: http://www.factusa.org/bdesh/teaser/

Detailed information, along with an introduction slideshow and brochure, is available at http://www.factusa.org/Bangladesh/info/bdeshinfo.htm

HJS assist in promotion of the FACT exhibition in USA

HJS has started spreading word about this exhibition to all the Hindutwavadi people and Bengalis which HJS in touch. HJS representative is awaiting permission from her employer to send out a company wide email about this exhibition. In the meantime, HJS representative has put up posters of this exhibition on her company's 11 bulletin boards and online bulletin board meant for employees to advertise something, and has informed her interested colleagues, some of whom would like to accompany her to the exhibition on 30th July.

A Hindutwavadi Shri. Jagdish Sharma ji has immediately started informing other Hindus and put up posters in nearby temples and at a VHP 2-day culture camp for about 100 families. He will try to come to the exhibition and will send as many people as possible to it. Another Hindutwavadi Mr. Shirgaokar, Los Angeles (CA), also responded immediately by bringing the exhibition to the attention of Hindutwavadi committees to sponsor the exhibition to CA state. Hindutwavadi people in Florida state too, are making efforts to gather the group of people to sponsor the exhibition in their respective states.  

HJS representative will be visiting the exhibition on both days with interested colleagues, to view the exhibition and participate in volunteering for any help needed. May maximum number of people be awakened to stop these atrocities against Hindus!

Read Further

Awareness through FACT exhibitions