Lucknow Press
Famous writer and human rights activist Taslima Nasreen has given a big statement about Bangladesh. She says that Islamic fundamentalists are misleading the youth and making them anti-India, anti-Hindu, pro-Pakistan and pro-Jihad, due to which she fears that Bangladesh may become another Afghanistan.
Nasreen said in an interview that when the students started protesting against the quota system in July, all of us who talk about women’s rights, human rights and freedom of expression supported them. People were angry with Sheikh Hasina who had always silenced people by appeasing the fundamentalists.
She also said that initially the movement against such a dictatorial government seemed right to her in the hope that there would be fair elections in the country and the government would be elected democratically, but this did not happen.
She further revealed the movement in Bangladesh
and said that later we understood that it was not a movement of students. Islamic fundamentalists planned it and invested money. This became clear when they started destroying the statues of freedom fighters, museums and national heritage. She said that when the terrorists imprisoned in jail started being released and attacks on Hindus took place, then the real motive and face of the protesters came to the fore.
Taslima Nasreen had to leave Bangladesh in 1994 after a controversy over her books. The author of ‘Lajja’ has been in exile since then and has been living in India since 2005 (except from 2008 to 2010). She believes that given the way the current interim government is functioning under the guidance of Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, she fears Bangladesh may become the next Afghanistan.
According to Taslima, Yunus says that the protesters are celebrating
the victory but what kind of celebration is this in which the houses of Hindus are being burnt while the statues related to the Pakistani army that killed lakhs of people and raped women during the war are still intact. She said, “Yunus knows that the country will be ruled by jihadis and he has no problem with it. These fundamentalists are hell-bent on making Bangladesh the next Afghanistan or Iran, which is frightening.” She said that Yunus is neither taking any action against such people nor criticizing them. “This does not give any hope for the future.”
Sheikh Hasina built 560 model mosques.
Taslima Nasreen held former Prime Minister Hasina responsible for the current situation and said that the fundamentalists have not raised their heads suddenly. She said, “Hasina is to be blamed for this as she appeased the fundamentalists to stay in power. She built 560 model mosques and destroyed the education system by making madrasa degrees equivalent to university degrees.” She said that by just reading the Quran and Hadith, people started teaching in universities where instead of studies, ‘Waz Mehfils’ started taking place and burqa and hijab were made compulsory for women.
Khaleda Zia had expelled Taslima from Bangladesh.
Talking about her personal experience in Bangladesh, she said that now anti-India sentiments are at their peak there. Taslima said, “Khaleda Zia expelled me from Bangladesh in 1994 and after Hasina came to power, she did not allow me to return to my country. In 1998, I went to meet my mother who was dying due to cancer, but after her death, Hasina again expelled me from the country and did not allow me to return.” She said that she had a power of attorney to sell her property and get her share of the ancestral property, and to get it verified, she knocked on the doors of every embassy in Europe, America, India… but under Hasina’s influence, everyone refused.
Most attacks during Hasina’s tenure
Taslima said, “I am not against Hasina because she harassed me but because she does not believe in freedom of expression. Jihadis have not suddenly raised their heads there but the maximum attacks on Hindus have taken place during Hasina’s rule.” She said that the youth in Bangladesh are being instigated against India and Hindus. She said, “Now less than seven percent Hindus are left there. They have been attacked during worship, during elections or to capture property.
Taslima’s hopes of returning to Bangladesh shattered
Hasina allowed anti-Hindu, anti-women preaching. When the youth is misled in this way, this new generation will become anti-Hindu, anti-India, anti-women, pro-Pakistan and jihad.” The time spent in Dhaka and Mymensingh and the memories of her loved ones are still fresh in her mind, but Taslima has now given up all hopes of returning to her homeland.
