Resist communal forces in your country, we’ll do it in Bangladesh

Eminent citizens yesterday urged the Indian people to stand against communalism, which is a “major problem in this subcontinent”.
“We will fight against communal tendencies and forces in our country. You will also stand against communalism in your country,” reads a statement signed by 145 eminent citizens.
Bangladesh-India diplomatic relations are in a sorry state and some Indian communal forces are continuously trying to disrupt the friendly relations among the people of this region, it says.
Rulers in the subcontinent have always “used communalism as a tool” to distract attention from education, health care, rising prices, and violence against women, it adds.
“During political transitions, incidents of attacks on minority communities happen repeatedly.”
The signatories say that they never equate the Indian people with the Indian government.
“We know that the people of India are also fighting against ‘Hindutva’ forces and communalism. We [Bangladeshis] fought for a long time against the ‘fascist’ Awami League regime and brought it down.”
When the Bangladeshi people fought against tyranny in July and August, the people of India took to the streets in solidarity. For a long time, people on both sides of the border stood in solidarity with each other.
People of both countries have fought together against communalism which creates divisions.
When the AL was in power, homes of Hindu people were attacked, properties grabbed, temples desecrated, and people were injured and killed. But after the ouster of AL on August 5, similar incidents took place.
“However, this time, many political parties, inspired by the mass uprising, protected Hindu homes and temples, setting new examples of communal harmony.”
Many Indian media outlets have not been depicting the true picture of Bangladesh, says the statement.
Although the Indian government expressed regret over the incident of attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala, it had not taken any effective step to stop the falsehood.
In every country, communal forces and the ruling class benefit from false propaganda. They use communal sentiments to seize power.
The Indian government’s role after the arrest of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das was surprising. There were allegations against him within ISKCON, and the organisation expelled him.
“We support his right to a fair trial, which is a right for everyone. However, it is astonishing how swiftly the Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement in his favour.”
On the day he appeared in court, a chaotic situation ensued, leading to the murder of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif. Thanks to the collective efforts of the people of this country, no major unpleasant incident occurred in the wake of that event.
Mentioning the minority communities’ significant role during the Bangladesh Liberation War, other democratic movements, and the July-August uprising, the eminent citizens say while communal groups exist in the country, the unity of the entire population is the only way to prevent their activities.
Problems faced by the people of the two countries are very similar. Communal divisions and violence will not solve these problems. The struggle is against division, tension and hatred between communities, they add.
Signatories to the statement include Prof Anu Muhammad, Prof Salimullah Khan, Prof Sayeed Ferdous, Prof Swadhin Sen, Prof Gitiara Nasreen, Prof Kamrul Hasan Mamun, Prof Tuhin Wadud, Supreme Court lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua, writer and journalist Altaf Parvez, writer Rahnuma Ahmed, musician Shayan, central member of Jatiya Nagorik Committee Pritom Das, and Associate Professor Samina Luthfa.