As soon as the Islamist fundamentalists managed to overthrow a democratically elected government in Bangladesh, they attacked the Hindu minority communities in the country which had never happened before during the previous regime.
And as of latest news reports, there was forced resignation of 49 Hindu teachers. It is a stark and troubling reminder of the creeping influence of Islamist fundamentalism, which is systematically and forcefully eroding the rights of minorities in the nation.
The revocation of the ban on the right wing Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatrashibir by the present regime of Bangladesh, has definitely set the nation on the destructive and ruinous path of chaos and instability.
Andreas Papaendrou the former Prime Minister of Greece described terrorism as "a pitiless war without boundaries." Hence factoring in this scenario of allowing previously outlawed outfits on account of their terror activities, to reign again freely is detrimental to the safety and well being of minority groups and communities in the polity.
Lifting the ban on outfits which are hell bent on promoting radicalism to the exclusion of those who are of a different ideological colouration undermines the very tenets of democracy fortified by a robust constitution.
To avert the possibility of anarchy flooding the nation like an avalanche, the current government in Bangladesh should rethink their decision before another round of uprising by the marginalised communities erupts.
Respectable figures of international renown like Mohammed Yunus a Nobel laureate of 2006 has reduced himself to be a puppet figure who is being used as the front by these Islamic fundamentalists promoting radical destructive agendas.
While the Islamic fundamentalist forces have time and again mercilessly killed people, and misused their power & authority, on the other end of the spectrum there are also people like late Faraaz Ayaaz Hossain, a Bangladeshi youth who boldly faced death to rescue his Hindu friends from the terrorists who attacked Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka in July 2016. This clearly shows that back then secularism and democracy were in place emboldening the youthful Faraaz Ayaaz to stand against religious fundamentalism to the point of death which has resulted in a eponymous movie “Faraaz”.
Today the situation is clearly evident that the recent coup disguised as a popular uprising was clearly instigated by the fundamentalists who have fooled and used the students and youth groups to achieve their ends.
It is therefore incumbent on Mohammad Yunus to take a bold stand on the side of democracy and protection of the rights of the minority groups to demonstrate that he is worthy of recognition as a Nobel laureate. Otherwise the shame and reproach which befell Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar will hound him too.
(Dr Abraham Mathai, the author of this opinion piece, is Founder Chairman of Harmony Foundation)
