Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: The small community of Ahmadiyya lives in
Shyamnagar Upazila (Sub-district) under the
south-western Satkhira district of Bangladesh.
Recently, an Islamic religious group known
as "Khatme Nobuat" has been threatening the
community of eviction.
1. The Iinternational Khatme Naduwat Movement, a radical Islamic Group,
has again announced gathering and rally of their members and supporters
on 27 and 28 April 2005 at the location of the Ahmadiyya Community at
Shyam Nnagar in Satkhira district of Bangladesh. Last week they had
attacked the Ahmadiyya villages and communities in the name of such
gathering and rally. Many people were injured including women and
children, many houses were looted, twenty ahmadiyya families had to flee
their home and many other individuals of the Ahmadiyya community had to
go into hiding.
2. In the meantime, Ahmadiyya representatives have filed a case with the
Shyam Nagar police station against the leaders and the members of the
International Khatme Nabuwat Movement. But no arrest has been
reported yet.
3. US Ambassador to Bangladesh Mr. Harry K. Thomas, visited the
Ahmadiyya complex in Dhaka on 23 April 2005 and condemned the attack
on them. He urged upon the government to ensure safety, security and
religious rights of all citizens of the country.
4. Seven NGOs and human rights organisation held a press conference at
Satkhira on 23 April 2005 condemning the attack on the Ahmadiyyas and
called upon the administration and the law enforcing agencies to protect
the Ahmadiyyas.
5. A group of supporters of the International Khatme Nabuwat Movement
has formed a so-called "Peace Committee" in the area and they are asking
the Ahmadiyyas to leave their homes and villages, migrate to some other
place "for the sake of peace".
6. Ahmadia national leaders in Bangladesh have accused the Pakistani spy
agency Inter Service Intellegence (ISI) to stage this agitation and
instability in the area as an extension of their brutal repression on
Ahmadiyyas in Pakistan. It is alleged that the ISI is using the Pakistan
Embassy in Daka for this operation as the Embassy is providing money,
material and intelligence support to the International Khatme Nabuwat
Movement. A representative of the Pakistan embassy in Dhaka had denied
any involvement of ISI.
7. Now the fresh announcement of a rally on 27 and 28 April 2005 by the
International Khatme Nabuwat Movement in the area has given rise to
tension and further possibility of an attack on the Ahmadiyya community,
particularly on the innocent women and children. It is urgently needed to
stop further attack on the Ahmadiyyas, their women and children. It is the
moral responsibility of the Government of Bangladesh to curve violence in
the name of religion and protect all the citizens of the country, particularly
the helpless ethnic and religious minority groups. Under no circumstances
the Government of Bangladesh should allow further attack on the
Ahmadiyya community.