Published
on
May 03, 2009
Today a team
of representatives of civil society, led by National Professor Kabir
Choudhury met AL chief Sheikh Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence at about
12 noon had exchange of views on the so called memorandum of understanding
signed on 23 rd December 23, 2006 between Awami League and Khilafat Majlish.
The delegates, representing different cross sections of the civil society
and consisting not less than 30 in members, the notable among whom were :
Professor Ajoy Roy, Shariar Kabir, Sara Zaker, Taslima Hosain, Dr. Zerina
Rahman, Asma Kibria, Ferdousy Priyaobhasini, Advocate Zead al Mamun,
Architect Rabiul Husain, Principal Shyamali Nasrin Choudhury et al.
We stressed upon the AL chief that by coming to an electorate understanding
with a fundamentalist party like Khilafa Majlish of Shaikhul Aziz the devout
secularist Awami League has definitely stroked at the very root of concept
of secular democracy indicating a definite shift to Islamic trend. We also
pointed out to her that this pact has led the way to legalize fotowa as an
institution and introduce blasphemy law in Bangladesh penal code in the
light of Pakistani blasphemy law.
The AL chief however thinks that by coming to an agreement based on five
point issues she wants to solve the Fotowa-issuing problem by unauthorized
village Moulanas and touts by limiting this fotowa-giving power to a limited
number of true Alems (Qualified Hakkani Alem, and solve the Qowmi Madrasa
problem by reorganizing Qowmi Madrasa Curriculum and syllabuses in the light
of demand of a modern society and usefulness. She also put forward her
Party's official stand and explanation on other points of the pact- such as
on the issues like" .. no law (s) will be legislated which goes against the
spirit of Qoran, Sunnah and shariat, that Prophet Muhammad (Sm) is the last
and best Prophet, and no criticism on Prophet-Rasul and Sahabaye Keram shall
be judged as punishable crime." She said as a Muslim, she believes in those
doctrines to which my reply was, 'As a Muslim you have every right to do so,
but by legislating those Islamic doctrines why are you imposing those faiths
to the non Muslims, this is against the concept of secularism. You have to
understand it.' She seemed to be annoyed.
We however emphasized that all her arguments and explanation are defensive
stressing that whatever explanation are now put forward the damage has
already been done. It has tarnished the image of AL as a secular liberal
democratic country. We appealed to her to withdraw the memorandum of
understanding forthwith to which she did not answer. At the end of the
discussion she assured us that AL is a secular party, and its very basis is
secularism- but secularism not devoid of religion. Her party will never
compromise with secularism. Bangladesh is a secular democratic country, she
stressed. We left Sudha Sadan wishing her a great success in the ensuing
election at about 1-30 p.m.
By the by, this is my first visit to Sudha Sadan. I, al least left Sudha
Sadan, dissatisfied and mortified. I wish I will have no occasion to visit
it second time !
Kindly check the following link to read memorandum that we submitted to AL
chief Sheikh Hasina today:
http://WWW.MUKTO-MONA.COM/Articles/ajoy/Mem_AL_Chief_p2.pdf
Happy New
Year and Eid Mubarak to every body.
Ajoy Roy
Dhaka, December 31, 2006
To
read Part I, click
HERE
