Bangladesh Must Protect Marginalised Communities

Bangladeshi authorities and the wider citizenry must deliver on the promise of a country that functions on the principles of egalitarianism and justice.

Shuddhashar FreeVoice is deeply concerned about the recent spate of violence against marginalised communities in Bangladesh. A mob under the banner of Azadi Andolon in Shahbag attacked a group of bystanders, which included members of the queer community, with the perpetrators accusing the entire group of “homosexuality”. The next day, another mob killed a Sufi pir and vandalised his darga over allegations of hurting religious sentiments. In both cases, the incitement came from the supposed transgression against a specific religious interpretation – despite the fact that neither set of victims had been doing anything controversial at the time of the attacks.

We note that these abhorrent incidents have taken place shortly before Noboborsho, the Bengali New Year, which itself has already become politicised as a site of religious tension. At a time when the country is attempting to come together to celebrate its pluralistic nature under a newly elected democratic government, there should be a sense of renewal and hope. Unfortunately, what we see is the continued scapegoating of disenfranchised communities to further extremist Islamism. We specifically note that this trend had already been present under the previous interim government, whose inaction had emboldened hardliners. We join others in calling on authorities to ensure that accountability and justice are finally meted out, and this downward spiral towards mob rule is halted and reversed.

Unfortunately, there are valid concerns that this may not be the case. Based on witness statements and press releases made by the group of people who were attacked in Shahbag, police officers who were present on the scene did nothing to intervene, despite the fact that there is video evidence proving that the mob groped women, isolated and beat up individual members of the group, hurled verbal and physical abuse at anyone trying to intervene, and explicitly had been intimidating people even before the attack occurred. It has been stated that the police subsequently refused to take any action when the victims of the attack tried to lodge a case at the nearby station.

Similarly, police in Kushtia had been alerted to potential violence against the now-deceased pir, Abdur Rahman Shamim, after an old video of him purportedly criticising Islam circulated on social media, stirring renewed anger at a figure who had previously been jailed for allegedly hurting religious sentiment. The large mob forced its way into the dargah and brutally killed him. However, despite the police presence, his attackers are (at the time of this writing) still roaming free.

We sadly note too the role that self-proclaimed citizen “journalists” had in the incitement of the attack in Shahbag. According to witnesses, the mob was egged on by people who used their phones to light the faces of the victims and instigated the verbal harassment of the group before the physical attacks began. They also continued to film the victims when they tried to leave for the hospital and the police station, clearly putting their safety at risk by means of visual identification. It is concerning that such actions have not been called out, and also that there is relatively little coverage of either attack in the mainstream press. Journalists have a responsibility to safeguard the vulnerable and uphold the rule of law in their line of work. We ask journalists to reclaim their integrity and principles by defending the rights of marginalised groups and challenging the actions of colleagues and aspiring professionals.

These incidents took place against people simply living their lives.

The group attacked in Shahbag was gathering for tea. Regardless of whether the members were queer or not, mob “justice” is an illegal action. Freedom of assembly is a right.

Pir Shamim and other worshippers at the darga were practising their faith within the perimeter of their own sacred space. Flimsy, unproven and nebulous claims of hurting religious sentiment are no reason to even interrupt worshippers, let alone attack and kill them. Freedom of religion is a right.

We extend our deepest sympathies and solidarity to the affected communities. Bangladesh should be a space where people with all sorts of lived experiences thrive, not just survive. Religious minorities and queer and trans communities should have their basic constitutional rights protected and have their continued oppression dealt with as a matter of urgency. We unequivocally condemn the violence that has been aimed at them, and we urge both Bangladeshi authorities and the wider citizenry to deliver on the promise of a country that functions on the principles of egalitarianism and justice.