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3/1/2007 - Conflicting Interests: Islamic Fundamentalism and Militant Secularism in Bangladesh by Nicholas Schmidle

Conflicting Interests Islamic Fundamentalism Militant Secularism Bangladesh By Nicholas Schmidle March THE HEAD OFFICE OF AL MARKAZUL ISLAMI single tower frosted emerald green windows rises several stories above coconut trees rooftops Muhammadpur neighborhood central Dhaka Down below streets Bangladesh capital seven million orchestra teeming urbanity Bicycle rickshaws along decorated handlebar tassels wheel covers passenger carriages painted faces Bengali stars Cars trucks passenger buses blast horns jingle while ambulance sirens unnoticed But commotion reaches Mufti Shahidul Islam founder director Al Markazul Islami through thick Oz colored windows fifth story office Al Markazul Islami Islamic NGO providing healthcare lance services Many Bangladeshis think cover They Shahidul business jihad In admits funds build mosques madrassas Islamic seminaries Yet nationwide notoriety balanced genuine popularity places Besides running Al Markazul Islami Shahidul former member parliament His party Khelafat Majlish wants transform Bangladesh Islamic state Mufti Shahidul dangerous owner Dhaka guesthouse cautioned morning I heading In charged conspiring blast killed eight Ahmadiyyas The Ahmadiyyas Islam denies Mohammad final prophet Islamic fundamental consider Ahmadiyyas heretics When I asked about incident Shahidul denied involvement rolling letting dismissive laugh Before I Islamabad Pakistan travel Bangladesh I visited radical friendly cleric there asked anyone I could Dhaka He scribbled Shahidul business Clutch I entered downstairs reception Al Markazul Islami recent morning barefoot conversing while phones played custom tones lines clattered background I elevator fifth floor where Shahidul behind large surrounded assistants relatives His aging father looked proudly Assalaamu Alaikum Peace You exclaimed I opened A something medium height Shahidul accentuated scraggly henna beard puffy nickel sized mehrab bruise pious Muslims acquire their forehead intense regular prayer He white dishdasha expensive wristwatch diamonds place roman numerals We exchanged greetings small Urdu Shahidul flashed comic whole Local newspapers describe Shah former mujahideen fought against Soviet Union during jihad Afghanistan Again denies charge When I asked jihadi friend Islamabad talks openly about fighting Afghanistan links international jihadi organizations relationship Osama Laden Afghanistan Shahidul No I never toAfghanistan He recited story which included stint infamous Binori Town madrassa Karachi later short fundraising Saudi Ara No declared stops Afghanistan In started Al Markazul Islami With schedule could jihad My business driving ambulances carrying bodies later during lunch sitting around blanket covered plates french fries cheeseburgers pizza Last December Shahidul sparked nationwide furor reinvigorated standing debate Ban gladesh Four weeks before parliamentary elections scheduled January later postponed Khelafat Majlish signed Memorandum Understanding Awami League nation mainstream parties traditionally secular The agree stipulated Shahidul party would Awami League elections If Awami League guaranteed enact blasphemy legislation brand Ahmadiyyas Mus officially recognize fatwas religious crees issued local clerics The outraged secularists across country Khelafat Majlish radical Islamist militant group which against spirit Liberation War The Anti Fundamentalism Anti Militant Conscious Citizens Society written statement By ascending power through section damentalist militants Awami League never create secular Bangladesh The Western media saying similar things In January New York Times Magazine published story about Islamic militancy Bangladesh titled The Next Islamist Revolution More recently The Washington Post Newsweek The Nation The New Republic published pieces spirit In January The New Republic suggested Left checked Bangladesh could become another Afghanistan regional terrorism Nonetheless prospects Bangladesh million people roughly Minnesota nearly bleak reports would suggest Certainly Islamist parties multiplied decade public support grown Yet Bangladeshi society remains overwhelmingly secular And while Islamists grabbed headlines secularists Islamist parties actually locked intense struggle predominance Bangladesh history civil activism People passionate eager voice their opinions streets Those leaders fought against imposition Islamic politics Liberation War about country Mufti Shahidul Islam And knows While voters Pakistan Afghanistan might impressed politician links Taliban jihadi credentials Bangladesh affiliations political liability This Shahidul hurries change whenever brought While mentioned believe secularism expand He prefers discuss other things Take constituency Narail western Bangladesh example There corruption there And Hindu Before Partition India Narail population Hindu Sha hidul boasted because Hindu people Islam religion Three after meeting I Itna village Narail where I Rajib Asmad teacher local girls Mufti Shahidul Islam helped people Muslims Hindus Asmad He built mosques He drilled wells distributed money So everyone again A local journalist later Shahidul funded least mosques madrassas wells Do local people support vision Islamic state Most people understand really wants Asmad They think Mufti money That getting popular Not because agree political views BANGLADESH IS ONE OF THE FEW lonial countries whose demographics almost sense Ninety eight percent people ethnically Bengali speak Bangla Indo Aryan tongue derived Sanskrit More percent people follow Islam Hindus percent Christians percent Buddhists This religious contributed vibrancy Bengali culture Rabindrana Tagore winner Nobel Prize Literature NES Bengali speaking Hindu His verses later became national anthems Hindu majority India Muslim majority Bangladesh Tagore composed poems during first parti Bengal which lasted In Amar Shonar Bangla Bangladesh national anthem writes My Bengal Gold I Forever skies Your heart As flute After seven years unrest flurry nationalist poetry British capitulated united Bengal In divided again As British leaving Subcontinent created states India Pakistan West Bengal joined India East Bengal became East Wing Pakistan From early founders Pakistan faced challenges trying reconcile West Wing present Pakistan East Wing present Bangladesh More miles separated their hostile neighbor India sandwiched between Bengalis counted population country those West Pakistan Punjabis Pashtuns Sindhis Balochis Mohajirs Meanwhile Urdu language spoken percent population became national language Because written script derived Arabic Bangla derived Sanskrit Mohammad Ali Jinnah found father Pakistan Urdu Muslim language What nonsense recalled Kamal Hossain Bangladesh first minister Identifying language religion Bangla language We Mus What problem Decades economic cultural neglect their Bengali masses Between West Wing Pakistan allotted budget billion Rupees about million while East Wing despite larger population received billion Rupees about million Then parliamentary elections Bengalis voted almost unanimously support Awami League Because Bengalis numerical advantage Awami League gained overall major national assembly Sheik Mujibur Rahman party should named Prime Minis But leaders West Wing delayed opening session On March Bengali leaders declared their independence Bangladesh Liberation War began The Pakistani Army maneuver codenamed Operation Searchlight thousands soldiers streets crush Bengali nationalists Shahriar Kabir hundreds thousands mukhti bahini freedom fighters It total guerilla warfare Today Kabir squat fifties haircut broom mustache On night I visited Dhaka Nag Champa incense India burning smelled sandalwood Between incense Kabir strike freedom fighter During Liberation War mukhti bahini faced serious opponent volunteer brigades Bangladeshi Islamists collaborating Pakistani Army troops stationed East Wing The brigades known razakars Jamaat Islami fundamentalist political party formed Sayyid Maulana Abdullah Mawdudi They killing squad Gestapo Nazi Germany Kabir The lurked places where uniformed soldiers could never They targeted intellectuals considered promoting ideas Bengali nationalism identity In final December murdered hundreds prominent doctors engineers journalists lawyers On December Pakistani surren dered Dhaka Ramna Racecourse Bangladesh became independent state It emerged fiercely secul nation The Constitution declared Nationalism Socialism Secularism Democracy pillars Bangladesh The constitution banned religious based politics But Bangladesh lasted years officially secular state In November General Ziaur Rahman Liberation War seized power after quick succession military coups counter coups following assassination Mujib family August To solidify Zia necessary appeal Islamists In removed Secularism Constitution principles lifted religious based politics Despite seeing popularity plummet years immediately after Jamaat Islami bounced steadily gained power since Its members occupied seats national assembly including ministerial portfolios Social Welfare Agriculture With Ministry Agricul access grassroots reach farmers The Ministry Social Welfare reach INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS people providing funds From recruit build their power journalist The Daily Star Dhaka reports Islamists requested anonym According Shahriar Kabir Jamaat Islami receives enormous amounts money Middle East enormous amounts Pakistan calls their global jihad network Most Jamaat Islami leaders Kabir former razakars enemies Bangladesh Fifteen years formed Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee better known Nirmul Committee demands former razakars criminals readmit Constitution religious based politics The Nirmul Committee known alternatively Voice Secularism He feels parties Jamaat Islami Khelafat Majlish contradicts everything fought We wanted secular democracy Three million people killed during Liberation War If accept Islam basis politics country wrong Pakistan A later I appointment Mu hammad Kamaruzzaman Assistant Secretary General Jamaat Islami accused criminal Accord pamphlet published Nirmul Committee Kamaruzzaman principal organizer Al Badr force ruthless razakar brigades The pamphlet alleges Kamaruzzaman dragged professor naked through streets Sher central Bangladesh beating leather whips It claims ordered numerous killings supervised torture cells When I asked Kamaruzza about charges morning Dhaka office scowled replied Is there evidence Not single piece I sixteen college How I political Kamaruzzaman wears suits framed glasses mustache goatee finely kempt stenciled Critics sneer being booted which reflects Jamaat Islami masses We snacked plates potato chips which pinky askance Despite Jamaat Islami advances recent elections Kamaruzzaman admits there numerous barriers their growth Its War obstacle But addressing We accepted reality working Bangladesh In leaders Jamaat Islami Muslim state separated We wanted country united The countries independent We politically wrong calculation Another obstacle poverty Kamaruzzaman added People villages about religion provide But about Hindu If Jamaat Islami hopes enact Islamic revolution centuries cross pollination between Hindu Muslim cultures Bangladesh The puritan vision Islam Jamaat Islami embraces simply foundation Bangladeshi society I asked Kamaruzza winning culture Bangladesh Islamists those promoting secular pluralist vision Bangladesh We neither winning losing moment But people realize effects called openness Pornography nudity these types Western Indian films encouraging violence terrorist activities Children shouldn distraught things Society cannot boundless We impose anything Of course there should public places someone should dressed undressed But sense should prevail He paused moment before reaching direction upturned present silver platter You censorship BANGLADESH HAS MORE THAN FIFTY Islamic political parties militant organizations terrorist groups according Abul Barkat econom professor Dhaka University extensively researched subject Barkat middle penchant coining technical terms contends these groups comprise operational research projects ultimately overseen adept bunch Ja Islami They never capture state power through democracy different Harakat Jihad Islami doing thing JMB Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh JMB doing thing Khelafat Majlish They trying different things power Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh biggest Islamist groups activities provide terrifying example tiniest outfits shake worse destabilize society On morning August JMB simultaneously detonated bombs Bangladesh districts Near blast sites Bangla Arabic language leaflets claiming responsibility It implement Islamic Bangladesh leaflets There future The gruesome irony leaflets earlier government created JMB defeat menace Left Bands Communist rebels known Sarbaharas growing stronger northwest Rajshahi Meanwhile across border India Naxalite rebels dering policemen raiding government offices districts In nearby Nepal Maoists threatening topple King Gyanendra The government Dhaka Khaleda Zia Bangladesh Nationalist Party NES junction Jamaat Islami Mufti Shahidul Islam Khelafat Majlish before defected Awami League alliance parties formulated strategy crush Sarbaharas before Leftist virus spread They assigned Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh previously unknown militant outfit The government initially treated JMB respect At least eight members national assembly bankrolled group according report January edition Bengali daily Prothom Alo In phone terview I conducted member JMB night Rajshahi recalled police officers publicly saluting JMB operations chief Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai Bengali Brother while politicians address When reporter English language The Daily Star interviewed Bangla Bhai May office local government official while portrait Khaleda Zia overhead At Bangla Bhai torturing terrorizing anyone thought remotely sympathetic Sarbah Gradually Sarbaharas defeated government withdrew support several JMB members arrested Bangla Bhai betrayed JMB resolved government message We wanted frighten everyone about strength phone The organization trained camps alongside remote riverbanks jungle clearings Mau Abdur Rahman group spiritual guide would stand front blackboard sketching tactics strategy Wherever Rahman Bangla Bhai carried sized filled grenades clutching field hockey sticks event In The Daily Star interview Rahman warned We believe present political trend reference democracy elections The bombing August obvious effect stunning nation Parents rushed their school offices closed early But Swapan Bhuiyan action For years people Shahriar Kabir warning about threat militant Islamic groups posed Bangladesh though people wanted listen The bombings proved their concerns credible coherent strategy respond Bhuiyan gentle middle beard seems taking represents growing class militant secularists Many former socialists communists refashioned their ideology oppose everything Islamists stand Bhuiyan I shouldn other humans these Islamic damentalists The Islamists destroying values since They killed golden before Liberation I Bhui about earlier Karachi World Social INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Forum On first nights Dhaka brought office organization Revolutionary Unity Front The electricity single candle splashed light poster Chairman Mao hanging Aframed photograph Comrade Lenin looked another Twice before Bhuiyan showed willingness fight secular Bangladesh In freedom fighter Then while serving lieuten Bangladeshi Army broke about Prime Minster Mujib assassination Incensed murder nation founding father Bhuiyan mutiny Dhaka airport against those sympathized Mujib killers After couple mutiny pressed Bhuiyan seniors sentenced firing squad That sentence commuted months solitary confinement No longer three months slight twitch Four unheard They tried crazy When lights Revolutionary Unity Front office eventually powered I could faces other people Most their after War We funda mentalists Bhuiyan gesturing around The others nodded Although their brothers sisters cousins weren killed razakars their generation militantly secular The secular culture common people strong enough defeat Islamic fundamentalism Manabendra Dev twenty Dhaka University president Bangladesh Students Union later I asked Bhuiyan viewed contest ideolo modern Bangladesh There replied That Marxism When joins Bengalism there great revolution Ban gladesh His jerked hands through silver But first I money I would train brigade people India return Islamic fundamentalists Bangladesh BANGLADESH HAS A RICH TURBULENTlegacy civil political cultural activism starting ediately after There ernment experience ruling ourselves Abul Barkat Dhaka University economics fessor We organized reconstruct bridges rebuild country The NGOs Barkat estimates there Non Governmental Organizations country today compared thirty years stems local level initiatives These people organizations The NGOs indicative Bangladeshis natural ability greater calling Perhaps unlike other place world protests strikes legitimate avenues political discourse Dhaka University battleground between student major parties Awami League Bangladesh Nationalist Party The campus cafeteria referred second parliament number student leaders graduated became members national assembly It landmark identity because erful influence shaping ethos values goals pursued country founders Kamal Hossain The Language Movement which initiated Bangladesh campaign independence began Dhaka University The history country sacrifice struggle Manabendra Dev student leader afternoon second parliament People movements defeated foreign armies overthrown military government forced concessions multinational energy giant In August Asia Energy Corporation abandoned lucrative mining project Fulbari north after months demonstrations against Asian Energy shady dealings environmentally damaging With track record people optimistic society repel forces fundamentalism As efforts Shahriar Kabir built eighty private libraries around country specifically places where Islamist parti strongest Each library doubles museum Liberation War while Jamaat Islami trying behind Kabir libraries keeping narrative alive In Chittagong second largest there libraries At Double Mooring library there members mostly teenage annual about cents rowing privileges The shelves contain Kabir written fiction fiction books classics Tagore Bengali translations Old Man Sea Harry Potter section about mukhti bahini Arif Ahmed early teens spiky haircut finished reading Bengali translation Hamlet visit His thoughts Shakespeare Not favorite It about kings Later night Kamran Hasan Badal president Nirmul Chittagong chapter libraries explained hoped accomplish through libraries Badal I bench front bookstore Chittagong where poets regularly gather converse He plaid shirt freshly shaven Secular education often available outside cities There madrassa education Badal We start debate through librar about secularism Bangladesh While children allowed check books older siblings parents Nirmul libraries oriented towards minds generation consider meaning secularism Badal added priority secular state should protect rights religious minorities When Hindus Ahmadiyyas attacked Islamists government doesn anything It ensure safety minorities The longer spoke I sensed Badal animos towards anyone headscarf beard I asked differentiated between religious revival called Talibanization There seemed little compromise We against anyone capitalizes religion political gains After conversation I quiet alley where bookstore located stepped frenetic streets Chittagong A slight chill February night refreshing I thought about Badal ideas pared things I heard Swapan Bhuiyan Abul Barkat Shahriar Kabir Besides being staunch secularists worldviews rooted intellectual traditions springing Left They manticized downtrodden But trying protect rights thousands downtrodden Hindus aggressive Islamists neglecting plight millions downtrodden Muslims ON THE NIGHT OF JANUARY AF TER three months violent protests President Iajuddin Ahmed declared State Emergency The dashed hopes Bangladesh Nationalist Party Jamaat Islami whose alliance heading landslide victo January elections early January Awami League opposition announced intention boycott polls But Bangladesh Nationalist Party Jamaat Islami euphoria short lived boycott convinced international community January elections could neither By I arrived Dhaka morning January postponed election In following weeks police units launched aggressive corruption drive Scheduling interview Dhaka became difficult Many politicians turned their mobile phones slept different place night Dozens ranking politicians Bangladesh Nationalist Party including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Tarique Rehman arrested But Jamaat Islami remained unsullied corruption charges In emerged model democrats The constitution violated Muhammad Kamaruzzaman Jamaat Islami leader during meeting January The should Whether party decides participate shouldn consideration Mustafizur Rahman Research Director Cen Policy Dialogue think Dhaka admitted Jamaat Islami handled things tactfully They business extortion other parties added referring BNP Awami League A general asked identified Every devil pluses minuses And least Jamaat relatively honest Their party general added people country anything pencils sharpened ready notes Even Harry K Thomas former U S Ambassador Bangladesh described Jamaat Islami several occasions moderate democratic party I large party Bangladesh whose internal affairs promotions based merit elections The mainstream parties depend personality cults family connections Most members university educated English speaking INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS speak Western journalists Our bring change through constitutional democratic process Kamaruzzaman Jamaat Islami commitment elections voters awkward situation What constitutes democracy Is elections Or liberalism Should voters liberal woman party Bangladesh Nationalist Party Awami League Or democratic illiberal Ja Islami Who liberal democratic Bangladeshi support In light mainstream parties autocratic backroom deals Islamist parties Abul Barkat relying civil society groups build sustain convincing model secularism Though Islamists strong sounds confi going Jamaat Islami succeed civil society He rehashed freedom fighter nodded slowly impressed strength character The burden AFTER OUR INITIAL MEETING Al Marka Islami Mufti Shahidul Islam I stayed frequent contact I think liked having American friend shield against damning allegations being Taliban But first Friday February planned meeting Al Markazul Islami When I inquired whereabouts colleague answered Shahidul High blood pressure added Four later Mufti Shahidul Islam arrested having links militant Islamist organizations The following morning I visited Kamal Hossain former minister author constitution Hossain medium height voice modest bulges around cheeks thighs He heads political party known Gano People Forum I house We towering ceilings Turkmen carpets height glass coffee tables I arrested political yours yesterday Mine No Hossain His party belonged Awami League electoral alliance Khelafat Majlish later joined He glared I insulted offended outraged I should called The signing Khelafat Majlish about opportunism totally unprincipled politics Spittle collected Some still guided principle exclaimed Hossain describes himself faithful Muslim militant secularist He admires U S Constitution framed secularism The groups Khelafat Majlish Jamaat Islami believes Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying signed programs study writing outside United States The Fel required report their findings experi ences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment inter national events issues Bicycle rickshaws idling front Dhaka University campus total anathema style secularism I Jamaat areas You completely misinterpreted Islam The Prophet summon guides We Islam Bengal years You wrong thing would stayed From Hossain similar conversations Taliban government Mullah Omar while serving U N Special Rapporteur Afghanistan Who keeps lling nonsense women I The Prophet business school As author constitution Hossain played pivotal anyone deciding nature secularism Bangladesh I asked imagined would Awami League would signing agreements Islamist parties Absolutely In often himself What deserve Hossain struggles determine proper course action Immediately after Awami League signed Memorandum Understanding Khelafat Majlish secular minded people experienced paralysis Hossain cautions especially society should vigilant psychologically blackmailed inaction But inaction possibility Overreaction another One evening hometown Dinajpur Swapan Bhuiyan I sitting trolley being pulled bicycl passed single madrassa standing middle patty Banana coconut trees leaned shackle structure They training terrorists there Bhuiyan The madrassa written Bangla Urdu I could seminary females memorizing Quran other words teenage girls Swapan madrassa I chuckled Not madrassas mosques training terrorists He jerked Then shared short Bengali proverb In burned The cannot setting western Bhuiyan paused We thinking When about madrassa frightened ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating dation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provid charge members ICWA available librar professional researchers subscription Phone E orgFax Web Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foun dation The Information contained publication reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs