To Be Tolerant Of Other Religions
One of the ideological features of Islam is to have a tolerant attitude towards dissidents or other religious beliefs. The recent incident of barbaric vandalism at several Puja Mandaps in Comilla and Chandpur during the celebration of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Sanatan Community is frustrating and heartbreaking to me as a Muslim personally.
It is especially imperative to bring the instigator behind this unsought situation and the mastermind behind the mischievous deeds under exemplary punishment as soon as possible. At the same time, just as the issue of preventing the desecration of religion or humiliation of religious scripture within the country must be stopped. It is also paramount to ensure the peaceful coexistence of followers of other religions in the practice of their respective religious ceremonies and rituals.
Above all, we as followers of Islam must rethink whether Islam supports the exposure of violent behavior and violent reactions to blasphemy in the context of religious practice, or does it give at least the slightest hint of such destructive repercussions? If such an unauthorized approach could continue, then the condensed perspective could have led to a major crackdown in the long-practiced interfaith harmony across the country. Henceforth, I am personally drawing the special attention of the conscious and wise Muslim Community in this regard.
Wares Ali Khan
Rangpur City
About Independence of Bangladesh
About the war for independence of Bangladesh, the majority people appear to have little interest to know the history. A good number of books were published just after the achievement in 1972 and all were keen to learn.
It is said that Sirajul Alam Khan of the then East Pakistan Students League took the initiative first in 1962 and he, Abdur Razzaque and Kazi Arif Ahmad formed a secret organisation named Swadhin Bangla Nucleus Cell. Razzque and Arif were also members if the then East Pakistan Students League. Their aim was to free the then East Pakistan from the colonial frame of West Pakistan.
In truth, in 1946, Hussain Shahid Suhrawardy was the first to have dreamt of a sovereign Bengal consisting of present Bangladesh and West Bengal of India. The Muslim League Leader Abul Hashim, Forward bloc leaders Kiron Ray, and Sarat Bose supported him. At that time, a spirited student leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman maintained close ties with H. S. Suhrawardy to get the mission successful.
But the Indian National Congress did not support them though the All India Muslim League opposed not. At this, the British Government supported the Congress.
Nevertheless, success or not, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman also dreamt of independence Bengal from 1946.
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka
