Radical Islamic sectarian groups embark on new proselytizing missions in Bangladesh targeting religious minorities, particularly Hindus. Rewards have been announced for the volunteers of the organization which is used to proselytize religious minorities – Hindu males and females in the name of Dawat. It may be mentioned here that, several years ago, notorious Islamist hate-preacher Zakir Naik was running his proselytizing mission with millions of dollars received from Afro-Arab sources, while Tablighi Jamaat (TJ) has been running such activities throughout the world – including India.
According to counterterrorism experts, Tablighi Jamaat is serving the purpose of jihadist recruitment as a front-vessel of Al Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS).
Media reports claim, various IDs and pages are being opened on social media to promote the notorious agenda of luring Hindu males and females towards the trap of love jihad and compel them towards religious conversion. These Islamists are also teaching their volunteers the tactics of proselytizing through love jihad. Meanwhile, in the name of protection of neo-Muslims, many social organizations including a bank have been involved in such misdeeds giving patronization to religious conversions.
After 2008, although the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Bangladesh stopped funding the rehabilitation of neo-Muslims directly, the Islamic Foundation continued this process through their Zakat Fund. Several social organizations across the country have been accused of proselytizing minorities. Many people also think that the nominal allocation by the Ministry of Religious Affairs is pushing towards discrimination in improving the quality of life of minorities. Communal groups are taking this opportunity to convert non-Muslims, especially Hindus into Islam. People of religious minorities including Sanatan dharma are alarmed by such reality.
Eminent individuals including rights activists and religious leaders say that a large part of the young generation is connected online in the age of technology. Especially the participation of the new generation in social media is very high. A group is using this as an opportunity on Facebook, YouTube and other social media platforms to exploit this opportunity. They are openly encouraging religious conversions under the banner of social organizations. In this case, the law enforcement forces are stunningly silent. Islamist bigots have started such dangerous activities as part of their plot to weaken people of other religions, particularly Hindus and force them to migrate to India.
They say, through sinister plans of religious conversion, the poison of communalism is being spread across the country. Such activities are criminal offenses in the eyes of the law. Religion and the constitution also do not support it. They suggested creating a social awakening against radicalism, including taking stern legal steps in this regard under the Digital Security Act and Blasphemy Act. Khatib Mufti Mohammad Ruhul Amin of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque told reporters that anyone can be invited to accept Islam. However, no one has the right to forcibly convert someone or announce rewards or to induce them. It is also a crime in the eyes of religion.
A disturbing notification signed by Muhammad Shahidullah Khan Madani and Professor Dr. Abdullah Farooq of ‘Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis’ has been circulating on social media calling upon volunteers to lure Hindu females into love jihad and force them towards religious conversion. According to the notification, a reward between BDT 50 thousand to a maximum of 5 lakh has been set for the conversion of people of different religions, especially Hindus. Copies of this notification have been sent to all district presidents and general secretaries of the organization. The office address of ‘Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis’ is 79/A/3, North Jatrabari, Dhaka. When contacted, leaders of this organization denied their involvement behind the notification and claimed it to be “conspiracy” of “vested interest groups” to “malign the image of ‘Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis’. When asked how this organization is receiving large amounts of donations from various Afro-Arab sources, the leaders of ‘Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadis’ could not give any satisfactory reply.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, another organization named ‘Islami Dawah Institute’ under the leadership of Mufti Jubair Ahmad is trying to convert Hindus through various tactics. It is giving training to prospective love jihad volunteers through a one-year course under the garb of ‘dawah’. These courses include, “Ways and methods of inviting Hindu-Christian-apostate brethren in to Islam”, “Attracting Hindu-Christian-Buddhist-Qadiani and Bahá’í to Islam”, “Answers to questions raised by non-Muslims regarding Islam”.
Another status circulated by ‘Islami Dawah Institute’ in Arabic and Bengali on Facebook says, “Our Muslim brothers are converting idol worshipers (Hindus) into love traps, and at the same time turning them into true Muslims. What is appreciable is that our Muslim brothers are being trained in such a way that girls (of other religions) think they really love them. This capability of theirs is fulfilling our mission (of luring non-Muslims into the love trap)”.
A person named Mamun, who is running a group on Facebook of the mission of Love Jihad, is giving instructions on how to lure a Hindu female into the love trap. Muslim volunteers are encouraged to open fake IDs on social media with Hindu names and target Hindu females.
Commenting on the ongoing Islamist attempt of love jihad in Bangladesh, Advocate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik of National Hindu Grand Alliance said, “This is a very disturbing and alarming trend. Moreover, we are terribly shocked to see some Islamist groups have been openly running love jihad activities and offering financial reward to Muslim volunteers in joining this vicious plot to lure Hindus into the love trap and get them converted into Islam. I would say, only Hindu females are not falling victims of love jihad. Instead, Islamists are targeting Hindu males and even members of entire families towards this dangerous trap. In my opinion, these acts are part of the blueprint of turning Bangladesh into a Hindu-free country. They want to eliminate Hindu population from this country”.
It may be mentioned here that, recently leaders of National Hindu Grand Alliance fell victims of cruel media assault from a number of Islamist groups and individuals. An ex-Hindu jihadist recruiter named Pinaki Bhattacharya led this notorious plot targeting leaders of National Hindu Grand Alliance, including Advocate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik and branded them as “Hindutva terrorists”, “agents of India”, “Agents of RSS”, “Lapdogs of Narendra Modi”. Pinaki even went further by demanding a ban on activities of the National Hindu Grand Alliance by designating its leaders and members as terrorists. Commenting on such disturbing acts, Gobinda Chandra Pramanik said, “For the last 35 years our organization has been tirelessly working for protection of rights of Hindus in Bangladesh and saving Hindus from falling prey to love jihadists. That is why anti-Hindu and anti-India elements like Pinaki Bhattacharya are continuously hatching conspiracy against National Hindu Grand Alliance. They want to silence every Hindu rights group in Bangladesh so that they can implement their agenda of turning Bangladesh into a Hindu-free nation. Moreover, they are targeting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) because it has been working to protect the rights of Hindus throughout the world. Islamists in Bangladesh, such as Pinaki Bhattacharya are also running vile propaganda against Modi ji (Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi) because he has emerged into a global leader protecting rights of Hindus”.
National Hindu Grand Alliance leaders have alleged that Islamists are trying to impose their religious practices on ordinary Hindus in Bangladesh, and that minorities are being forced out of the country through systematic persecution, torture and intimidation. They also alleged that some of the figures in the administration refuse to accept cases against these religious insulters and cases of love jihad. They urged the state and society to stand against the evil forces which are running love jihad and engaged in religious conversion.
Referring to the long-standing project of a section of Islamist fundamentalists who are running dangerous projects of converting Hindus into Islam, National Hindu Grand Alliance leaders said, “These are the worst examples of religious hatred. However, even if such misdeeds are openly continuing on social media, there is no legal action at the state level. Because of this, there is fear in the minds of religious minorities in Bangladesh. The parents are suffering from insecurity with their children. It is a very alarming situation”.
Advocate Gobinda Chandra Pramanik called upon Bangladesh authorities to take stern measures against the perpetrators of love jihad and ban such activities in the country.
Meanwhile, a private Islamic sharia bank in Bangladesh has established ‘Neo-Muslim Care Aid’ since 2010. This bank provides legal assistance, financial support and employment to neo-Muslims. Bank officials said that they are working to increase the social status of neo-Muslims. At present, their activities are conducted by recruiting volunteers in 64 districts in the country. Although Bangladesh’s constitution does not permit such activities, religious bigots are continuing these projects due to lack of legal measures against love jihad or deceitful religious conversion of Hindus into Islam.
It may be mentioned here that, during the rule of Islamist coalition of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami, the Religious Affairs Ministry was provided annual Tk. two million funds for patronizing neo-Muslims. According to Hindu rights groups, during the 2001-2006 rule of BNP-Jamaat nexus, there has been state-patronization to religious conversion of Hindus in the country. In 1982, a special fund was allocated from the state-controlled Zakat Fund under direct initiatives of military ruler Gen Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who had turned Islam into the state religion of the country.
Awami League, Love jihad, Arvind Kejriwal,
The Religious Affairs Ministry’s annual allocation of budget for patronizing neo-Muslims was cancelled when Awami League came to power in January 2009.
Recently, members of Al Qaeda-connected Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and so-called journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, who earlier raised the issue of arrest of Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal at the US State Department and the United Nations has made fresh attempt of defaming India’s democracy. During a press briefing, Ansarey asked Matthew Millar, “The world’s largest election has begun in India. However, there has been a significant increase in intimidation, harassment. Prime Minister Modi’s inflammatory rhetoric against Muslim community has heightened fear and uncertainty within the 200 Muslim community in India.
“At the same time, major social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, Google, and Meta are removing critical content and blocking channels at the request of the Indian authority, raising concern about the censorship and the impact on free speech. What steps are being taken to protect these US-based social media platforms and ensure that the right to free expression is upheld?”
It is a matter of great mystery as to why the US State Department and Matthew Millar are continuously allowing Ansarey to ask questions with the agenda of demonizing India, the country’s democracy and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to sources, sitting in London, BNP’s acting chairman and convicted terrorist Tarique Rahman has been instructing his party’s member and so-called journalist Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey in continuously asking questions at the White House, US State Department and the United Nations targeting India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh Nationalist Party considers India as enemy while it encourages persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh.
