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| Bangladesh |
| Activists criticise government's Jamaat view |
| 2014-03-27 |
| [Dhaka Tribune] Youth-led public platform Gonojagoron Moncho activists have expressed frustration over the government's compassionate view towards anti-liberation party Jamaat-e-Islami ... The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independentbranch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores... and its political and financial institutions. From a rally on the occasion of the Independence and National Day at Shahbagh, the activists also censured the government for not implementing the six-point charter of demands submitted to the prime minister over a year ago. A protest against life sentence of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla turned into a mass movement on February 5 last year at the Shahbagh intersection. They demanded capital punishment for all war criminals and ban on Jamaat and its students' wing Islami Chhatra Shibir ... the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh... . Their other demands include action against Jamaat's financial organizations, establishing a permanent tribunal to try the war criminals, special directives for law enforcers to arrest and punish those involved in violence after tribunal verdicts, and action against some electronic and print media for favouring the anti-liberation party. Spokesperson of the platform Imran H Sarker said the government was reluctant to meet their demands, while this negligence had led to strengthening the Jamaat-Shibir. He said the government had not taken strict action against the Jamaat-Shibir cadres who carried out violence across the country following tribunal verdicts. The joint force's operation in Satkhira, which he termed eyewash, was also not effective. He alleged that the government was soft towards Jamaat, its wings, financial organizations and supporters, and criticised the government offices and the Awami League's associate organizations for taking donations frequently from Jamaat-controlled organizations. He cited the instance of Islami Bank's Tk3 crore donations for "Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla" event held yesterday at the National Parade Square. The government later said it would not accept the money for the particular project due to reservation of the cultural affairs ministry. Imran also questioned the willingness of the government in holding the war crimes trials as it took around two months to appoint a chairman for International Crimes Tribunal 1 and the prosecutors lacked coordination. |
| Posted by:Fred |