Judging mukto-mona by ire alone: (A response to Mohammad Gani, Readerï¿½s Opinion, NFB; 01 Sept. 2006) Jahed Ahmed

Judging mukto-mona by ire alone

(A response to Mohammad Gani, Readerï¿½s Opinion, NFB; 01 Sept. 2006)

Jahed Ahmed

ï¿½I can not agree more with these Mokta Mona moderators in condemning and repudiating these tyrants, for issuing death threats. I sincerely request Mokta-Mona to include my name in their denunciation list.ï¿½ ï¿½Mohammad Gani

ï¿½Mukta-monaï¿½..is a ï¿½hate groupï¿½ itself who has been committing hate crimes by sending their inveterate ï¿½non-violent hate messages and slursï¿½ to a nation of diverse religious and ethnic groups in Bangladesh.ï¿½ -Mohammad Gani

Hard to believe the two contradictory statements above have been made by the same person and in same article! One shows- by raising its voice against death threats to secular intellectuals- mukto-mona has done something worthy to the extent that even Mr. Mohammad Gani wants his own name to be included in mukto-monaï¿½s list of those who protested. On the other hand, for some strange reasons, the very person has termed mukto-mona as a ï¿½hate groupï¿½.who has been committing hate crimes.ï¿½ Using his own logic and statement, may I dare to ask Mr. Gani- what is it he found so convincing in mukto-mona which made him so humble and compelled that he didnï¿½t mind committing a ï¿½hate crimeï¿½? One will be forced to conclude- either Mr. Ganiï¿½s preposterous assumptions about mukto-mona is wrong, unfounded; or indeed- heï¿½s a ï¿½criminalï¿½ (please donï¿½t get me wrong, readers!). I, however, donï¿½t want to think, Mr. Gani is a criminal; itï¿½s, rather, his lack of knowledge about the works mukto-mona has done so far, pursuing now and planning to do in future. Itï¿½s not implausible that one has developed very serious misconceptions about mukto-mona by sporadically focusing on just a single thing we have done. And this is not atypical at all. Many people think, mukto-mona is just a cyber discussion group consisting of some elite intellectuals. Thatï¿½s simply untrue. One of our targets is to touch people on the ground as we always said, and we are working with this goal in mind. For example, we have published a book what is, to the best of our knowledge, first full length description of our cosmosï¿½ scientific history. The book has been well received and well praised, although as opposed to what Mr. Gani commented, we didnï¿½t do it just to receive ï¿½thanksï¿½ from some one. There are other ways to do so; why would some one take the hassle of living by science, humanism? Why would each of our moderators is volunteering his/her time despite their family life, jobs and other daily chores? They could have written some romantic poems instead, if publicity was the only motto. [Interested readers may click on ï¿½M-M Projectsï¿½ at www.mukto-mona.com to learn more about our works].

Mr. Gani thinks, mukto-mona is hurting the sentiments of millions of people in Bangladesh, destroying family values, and we are forcing people into recanting ancestorï¿½s beliefs/religions. So flattering for us to learn, we exert so much influence on peoplesï¿½ mind! Yet I need to make a point here. At mukto-mona, we mainly deal with issues that we believe are dogmatic, irrational and unscientific. If any such issues coincides with some oneï¿½s own definition of a ï¿½family valueï¿½, ï¿½religionï¿½, ï¿½religious ritualï¿½ etc, we simply wonï¿½t stop from doing it. We know, even icons like Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Ram Mohan Roy, Kazi Nazrul Islam were once accused of having ï¿½destroyed religions/culturesï¿½, etc. What if they stopped? Would the necessary reformation/change have taken place? Or take the example of Mary Wollstonecraftï¿½s ï¿½A Vindication of the Rights of Women.ï¿½ Didnï¿½t many say she was putting whole order of the society up side down by espousing equal rights for women? Same holds true for late Quazi Abdul Wadud, Quazi Motahar Hossain, Prof. Ahmed Shariff, Aroj Ali Matubbor et al of Bangladesh.

Having been involved with mukto-mona since its founding, one interesting observation of mine has been that mukto-mona, more often than not, has frustrated the religious fundamentalists in appeasing the ideals they believe in. And we take pride in such failures. Muslim fundamentalists think of mukto-mona just as a creation of some ï¿½anti-Muslimï¿½ gang with vested interest. Hindu and other fanatics are ready to praise mukto-mona so long as it criticizes Islam and Muslims only but leave their respective doctrines untouched and unchallenged. Clearly, mukto-mona doesnï¿½t subscribe to either of the views and hence, we often are mistaken, cursed. Even some of our atheist friends think- mukto-mona has a soft corner for Muslims. But to be frank, we are not worried as how others might view us. We believe in implementing what our conscience says is right, just and fair for the mankind. Thus itï¿½s no wonder- we acridly criticized some of US foreign policies, especially Bushï¿½s invasion of Iraq. We also opposed Bush Jr. getting reelected to the oval office. We wrote petitions in the past condemning Israel's attitude towards Palestinians and Indian army's attitude towards Kashmiri people. Any regular reader/visitor of mukto-ona knows it, those who donï¿½t may simply pay a visit to mukto-monaï¿½s archive of old articles. It was only a few days ago when mukto-mona along with UK based Confluence magazine raised its voice against the threats issued by fanatic RSS activists to eminent Indian artist M F Hussain. Which ï¿½Islam-basherï¿½ (as we are called) in the world would do it, Mr. Gani? Another testimony in mukto-mona not being against the people of any particular race or religion would be the articles/comments made/written by mukto-monaï¿½s own moderators. None would be able to claim, Avijit Roy/Jahed Ahmed/Bonna Ahmed/Farid Ahmed/Mehul Kamdar et alï¿½the current moderator team of mukto-monaï¿½have ever singled out a particular religion, its believers while remaining silent against doctrines/dogmas pertaining to other religions. If any one could prove so, I am assuring- I would withdraw myself from writing on the net for ever. This is a word from an honest humanist. Until some one proves we are indeed what they believe us to be, may I request, please judge it for yourself. And our door is open. Any one believing in the ideals of love, reason, science and truth is most welcome at mukto-mona. If the worst is to happen, we might say, ï¿½we donï¿½t agree with youï¿½ but rest assured- we will not issue you any death threats, nor do we believe in fatwas.

Another thing I found very interesting in Mr. Ganiï¿½s response is his throwing loads of questions at mukto-mona for politiciansï¿½/ruling partyï¿½s failures in BD as if mukto-mona controls/controlled or decides who would run BD. This is although flattering, shows a lack of common sense (mukto-mona is on the net since 2001 only). Mukto-mona, just like all other secularists, is equally concerned and is saddened by the unfortunate fact that not even pro-liberation party could bring ï¿½71 rajakars to justice; but again, we are not politicians, or affiliated with any political organizations (our "mission statement" clearly says it).

Let me end here with something worth cherishing from Mary Wollstonecraft:

ï¿½It is a farce to call any being virtuous whose virtues do not result from the exercise of its own reason.ï¿½

New York
September 4, 2006

Jahed Ahmed is the co-moderator of www.mukto-mona.com, an online network of humanists/secularists from South Asian and other countries. His email : [email protected]