We will identify those behind the vandalism in the dozen temples and bring them to book as soon as possible, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told India Today in an exclusive interview. The safety of the local Hindu community has been ensured, he added. Excerpts from the interview:
The authorities visited the spots, talked with the local Hindu community members and asked them not to panic. Security has been ramped up and the situation is reported to be under control now. The Hindu community has demanded justice and immediate arrest of those involved in the vandalism. A police investigation is being carried out to bring the guilty to book and give them exemplary punishment.
ndia Today’s Shahidul Hasan Kokhon spoke to Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to understand how he perceived the issue and his party’s stand on it.
Your party has been in power for 14 years now. And your party believes in secularism. But doesn’t it embarrass you that the word terrorism keeps cropping up?
Asaduzzaman Khan: Terrorism is a conspiracy hatched against our government. I would say it is created or patronized to embarrass us. The masses of our country never sheltered terrorism. What they (the terrorists) want to establish in the name of Islam is completely wrong. Terrorism is not supported by our Islam. Our Islam-based parties and the common people hate them. We have been able to identify the terrorists and detect their nefarious designs. They try to escape abroad, go to the mountains for training, and then come back. We were able to fight them. Terror is now under control. It is a success of the government. Killing people has no place in Islam, or in any religion. Every religion promotes peace among people.
This situation [terrorism] has been created by a particular group of people, but they have failed. The question is who is patronizing it? Those who patronize it in Bangladesh never want the good of the country. They did not want the good of Bangladesh even in the Liberation War. These groups opposed the country in the Independence War of Bangladesh as well. The concerted effort of these groups is to promote militancy and terrorism.
Some rivals of yours say that Bangladeshi Hindus have no political alternative, except Awami League. Now, they will not vote for anyone else. But they are only 8%. So, are they always taken for granted by your party?
Asaduzzaman Khan: Our country never supports or believes in communalism. Our main mantra was to build Bangladesh with a secular spirit. The honorable Prime Minister is working with that spirit. Our Hindu society was in this country and will always remain in this country. The government has no plan to exclude or deprive them. We have given them priority. They are in top positions, including in foundations, the secretariat and police department. They hold positions according to their merits. The Awami League loves the Hindu community. The Awami League believes in non-communalism; The Awami League does not believe that only Muslims will prevail here. That is why people of all communities give unwavering support to the Awami League. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) also has Hindu community leaders, although they have made different groups at different times. Many of them also oppose the Awami League. Hindu Mahazat leader Govinda Pramanik recently gave misleading information. He later regretted it.
The Opposition has started saying that the Awami League is not a secular party and the BNP is not a communal party. What is your reaction to this?
Asaduzzaman Khan: It is an official political statement; they say the same thing over and over again. The Awami League will never forget the way India has helped us. They gave us shelter [during the Liberation War]. As many as 3 million people died, but they sheltered 12 million people.
We want to maintain good relations with India. We have given all the information India sought on ULFA. We have recovered 10 truckloads of arms destined for India.
The BNP accommodated an extremist group; they gave place to Razakars in the Cabinet, who sheltered militants like Uthan Bangla Bhai and Shaikh Abdur Rahman. They have ties with extremists. They believe in communalism. They have political ties with the Jamaat-e-Islami.
You are a freedom fighter. Around 51 years have passed since the Liberation War. Temples are still attacked in the country. As many as 12 temples were attacked on Sunday. There is talk of the rise of communal power. Is the principle on which the Liberation War was fought still being followed?
Asaduzzaman Khan: We were not in power for 21 years; in those 21 years, our values were lost, history was distorted. Our Prime Minister has brought everything right back. Our spirit was a non-communal country, housing for all, education and health guaranteed for all. People of all religions will have equal rights. But the defeated forces of the Liberation War have not retreated yet. They are still active. They want to mar the spirit of the Liberation War. They are repeatedly trying to destroy religious harmony. These are part of that conspiracy. We will not tolerate this. But we are strict about these things. As the Home Minister, I have given orders to the police force. They are in the field to catch criminals. We will identify them and bring them to book as soon as possible. We spoke to people from the local Hindu community. Their safety has been ensured.
