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On February 27, 2004, Bangladesh's one of the most liberal writers, Prof. Humayun Azad was attacked in front of Bangla Academy in Ramna, Dhaka. The police took the injured professor to Dhaka Medical College's Emergency Room for immediate treatment. Later, Channel I has shown the blood drenched clothes of Prof. Azad in their news flash. We have just received a report from Dhaka that he is being treated in Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital as has been stabbed and critically wounded.
Bangladesh society has become very intolerant as of late. Only years ago, another Bangalee writer, Poet Shamsur Rahman was attacked by some goons in his own house. The attackers could not do more harm then because of the immediate action by Rahman's neighbors. The Mullahs in Bangladesh have also given threats to Taslima Nasrin, another valiant writer who took up the women rights issue and who wrote against the riots in post-Babri Masjid demolition days. However, since Ms. Nasrin resides in foreign land, the intolerant bigots can't do any bodily harm to her. This time the goons have targeted Prof. Azad. It is worth mentioning here that Prof. Azad's recent writings included in his book "Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad" have drawn attention from Jamaat leaders. Maulana Delwar Hussain Saidee, one of the most talkative Jamaat MP, has asked the Khaleda Zia Administration to ban Prof. Azad's book. It is very plausible that Jamaati goons have orchestrated this attack against the liberal writer. We here at Mukto-mona denounce this heinous attack on one of the luminaries of Bangladesh's literati, Prof. Humayun Azad. Intolerance against liberal writers is on the rise in Bangladesh, which is symptomatic of Islamization of Bangladesh. We request our readers to pen protest notes against this barbaric attack on Professor Azad. The government should apprehend the perpetrators of this crime and bring an end to this kind of attack on intelligentsia. Free speech is a hallmark of liberal democracy and Bangladesh society should go an extra mile to foster free speech in four corners of our ancestral land. Please condemn the action of Jamaat. Long live free speech and liberal movement in Bangladesh!
Dear Members: A little while back (Dhaka, February 27, 2004 at 9:30) eminent writer Humayun Azad was attacked in front of Bangla Academy by a group of unknown assailants with chopping knives and has been grievously injured. Channel I has just now showed a completely blood drenched Azad being brought by the police to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and given primary treatment. His face, hands, T-shirt, trouser everything was soaked in blood. His condition is serious.
Muktipagol
I just heard that professor Humayun Azad was stabbed while returning from the Bangla Academy to his house. He has been hospitalized. I do not know details yet. I am assuming this is connected to tomorrow's Hartal. Che From: "adnan"
I don't know how to type my feelings, but I could not check my
tears when I read this news. How is it possible !!
On the eve of Rational Day, I urge this day be devoted to this
great freethinker and fearless writer.
My best and earnest wishes for his cure.
Attack on Dr. Humayun Azad I add my voice of protest against the dastardly attack on Dr. Humayun Azad. The attack is a heinous crime. But it is even more than that. Dr. Azad is among the foremost exponents of secular humanism in the country, and a fearless critic of obscurantism and dogma. The cowardly attack that inflicted grievous injury on his person is also against what he stands for. We are told by the authorities what has become a stock response to crime: the police do not know who are behind the attack. But this cannot be entirely true. Those who bear the ultimate responsibility for the attack are well-known. For months Dr. Azad has been threatened by Islamist militants and anti-liberation forces. He has been threatened in Parliament. He has been attacked in public speeches by militant groups who wanted his head. The attack is yet another wake up call to all those secularists in the country who are still in slumber. Meanwhile, I wish the foremost secularist of the country a speedy recovery from a grievous hurt. Many have called him too outspoken. We need more of his outspokenness now than ever before. Mahfuzur Rahman From: "hajee_rafique"
----------------------- more comments and news in our forum...
ARTICLES
A sad state of affairs!
What happened to Humayun Azad yesterday was not an isolated event at all. Only days ago, Kamal Hussain was attacked as well. It was through sheer good fortune that he escaped unhurt. Exactly two days before the last general elections, Sanat Saha of Rajshahi University was attacked. It was when one of the assailants brought his revolver out that Sanat Saha miraculously escaped. The incident took place at the campus in broad day light and Sanat Saha had a good view of the assailants. No one has yet been brought to justice. Indeed, Bangladesh is a country where law and order situation has all but broken down. About two years ago when assailants murdered a two year old child in Dhaka there was a furore in the press. Consequently, the Home Minister of Bangladesh was obliged to show a gesture of good will to the parents. He said to the parents, “Please do not grieve, Allah has taken him!” Now, if what the Home Minister said is true, then my question is: Why should the Minister be there? Is he not redundant? Let Allah take the responsibility of maintaining law and order in Bangladesh, we do not need a Home Minister.
From one of the dailies that I read every morning, I find that there is not a single day when a number of people are not murdered by thugs – mainly goondas, including student goondas, hired by political parties. If anything that really worries most people in Bangladesh at this moment, it is the law and order situation.
The Awami League government lost its power because it failed to maintain law and order. It was with the promise to bring back law and order that this Jamat-backed government came to power. The people of Bangladesh knew what roles men such as Matiur Rahman Nizami and Dilwar Hussain Saeedi had played in the past, even so, they voted them to power. Why? Because, people had become fed up with the Awami League government in spite of the fact that Sheikh Hasina had done some wonderful work. It was Hasina’s government that was able to sign a fair treaty with India on the sharing Ganges water. Her government was also able to sign a peace treaty with the Chakma rebels. Above all, despite repeated floods and other natural disasters, there was never a food crisis. The government did not allow the price of rice to go up either. Despite all this, Hasina’s government was ousted in an election that was more or less fair. The main reason for her defeat was the law and order situation. However, what people had hoped for from this Jamat-backed government, constituted largely by ex-army men, was the restoration of law and order. But if anything, the situation has deteriorated. Never in the past had so many political murders taken place everyday on a regular basis. Never had cases of extortion, kidnappings and of mugging been so rampant. Never had so many journalists been tortured and / or murdered. And these cases are happening not in spite of, but sometimes with the help of, the law enforcing agencies. On the top of the politically influenced police, BNP-Jamat government has a large number of hired political thugs. However, can you really hope that this government would be replaced by another which would truly be impartial and democratic and would allow law enforcing agencies to work without political interference? I cannot. The Awami League had MPs such as Jaynal Hazari. It still has some. Any alternatives? Prospects do not look rosy.
Ghulam Murshid
An attempt to silence Prof. Humayun Azad is the act of intolerant bunch By A.H. Jaffor Ullah
Hours after a bunch of assailants descended on Prof. Humayun Azad’s body to silence his voice for ever, I received an e-mail from news forum “Future of Bangladesh.” A kind member from Dhaka frantically wrote, “A little while back (Dhaka, February 27, 2004 at 9:30) eminent writer Humayun Azad was attacked in front of Bangla Academy by a group of unknown assailants with chopping knives and has been grievously injured. Channel I has just now showed a completely blood drenched Azad being brought by the police to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and given primary treatment. His face, hands, T-shirt, trouser everything was soaked in blood. His condition is serious.”
An hour later, the same person from Dhaka who sent earlier an e-mail sent a grim message: “Humayun Azad has been shifted to CMH as his condition turned worse.” My telephone started to ring immediately. My friends who write passionately on liberal issues pertaining to Bangladesh were very much perturbed hearing the sad news of an attempt on Prof. Azad’s life.
Unless you are out of sync with news from Bangladesh, you perhaps are not well acquainted with the fact that the tiny country of 140 million has become very intolerant as of late. Only years ago, another Bangalee writer, Poet Shamsur Rahman was attacked by some goons in the privacy of his own house. The attackers could not do more harm then because of the immediate action by the poet’s neighbors. The Mullahs in Bangladesh have also given threats to Taslima Nasrin, another valiant writer who took up the women rights issue and who wrote against the riots in post-Babri Masjid demolition days. Mind you, these are not idle threats. It is a good thing that Ms. Nasrin resides in foreign land; or lese, the intolerant bigots would have done bodily harm to her a long time ago.
This time the goons have targeted Prof. Azad. It is worth mentioning here that Prof. Azad's recent writings included in his book "Pak Sar Zamin Saad Baad" have drawn attention from Jamaat leaders. Maulana Delwar Hossain Saidee, one of the most garrulous Jamaat MP, and his followers have asked the Khaleda Zia Administration to ban Prof. Azad's book. It is very plausible that Jamaati goons have orchestrated this attack against the liberal writer. Maulana Saidee is well known for fomenting trouble in Bangladesh. He routinely sermonize Jamaatis and other pro-Islami activists through his hate-laden talks. His ad hominem speech against freethinkers is often mired with malevolence. Therefore, his speech often incites violence. The recent attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are a prime example of Maulana Saidee’s goading the Islamic goons to Islamize the tiny nation of 140 million people. On February 28, 2004, the Daily Star reporting on attempted assassination of Prof. Azad wrote, “Addressing a demonstration at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on December 12, leaders of an anti-Ahmadiyya outfit demanded arrest and trial of Prof Azad for the novel.”
Freedom loving Bangalees from all walks of life should denounce this heinous attack on one of the luminaries of Bangladesh's literati, Prof. Humayun Azad. Intolerance against liberal writers is on the rise in Bangladesh, which is symptomatic of a wholesale Islamization of Bangladesh. I am confident other freethinkers and secularists would pen protest notes against this barbaric attack on Professor Azad. The government should apprehend the perpetrators of this crime and bring an end to this kind of attack on intelligentsia and freethinkers. Free speech is a hallmark of liberal democracy and Bangladesh society should go an extra mile to foster free speech everywhere in our ancestral land.
Prof. Humayun Azad has many followers in expatriate communities who would express their anger through posting in myriad Internet forums. I urge the Bangladesh government to investigate the matter thoroughly and see what role, if any, Jamaat politicians including Maulana Delwar Hossain Saidee, who are openly hostile to liberal writers, have played in this barbaric attack. -------------------------- A.H. Jaffor Ullah, a research scientist and columnist, writes from New Orleans, USA
Humayun Azad paying a price for his forthrightness. He is bleeding!
Rezwan Siddique Khokon
One of the notable writers of Bangladesh, Dr. Humayun Azad, is paying very dearly for ridiculing the mindless Islamists of Bangladesh in his book appropriately titled “Pak Sar Zamin Sad Baad.” That tune brings nothing but bad memories of yesteryears. However, to a fundamentalist who dreams of transforming Bangladesh into a Pakistan it evokes memory of a different kind.
The Islamic fundamentalists of Bangladesh are hell bent on killing Humayun Azad - a brave writer who showed boldness while commenting on religious bigotry in Jamaat-BNP's Bangladesh. In fact, The BNP-Jamaat fundies wanted to kill as many as humanists, secularists, and liberal writers. They see immense danger every time they look at a secular writer. Dr. Humayun Azad fits the bill. Therefore, they boldly opined in a recent meeting held outside the National Mosque, Bait-ul-Mukarram – a den of Islamists. In that meeting, one speaker brazenly appealed to meeting attendees to banish Dr. Azad.
In response to Islamists’ demand to annihilate secularists, should we kill the Islamic fundamentalists? Albeit, no! We should kill Islamic fundamentalism! We must kill the "ism" of the beasts! The headless Mullahs drink from the well of Wahhabi fundamentalist school of thought. Therefore, we should wipe out Wahhabism from Bangladesh and the rest of the world.
Dear readers, you see the beasts in each and every corner of the government buildings of Bangladesh. The Botoxed Beauty Queen Madam Zia has brought these beasts closer to her. Not any more, she believes that humans will give her protection. This is why she has brought the beasts closet to her for protection. The Jamaati beasts are of many types - dogs, goats and hyenas. Some of her pet Jamaati dogs act like goats with their full-grown beard. The two doggy goats are her ministers. They lick the shoes of Madam Zia and her son Tarek. These doggy goats once licked the boots of Rao Farman Ali, Niazi and Tikkah only three decades ago. Boot licking is their habit. They derive an immense pleasure by doing that.
Not that these lickers lick the boot only, they do other beastly jobs for the beauty queen Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her son prince Tarek. The hyenas are there for them too! Saidee leads a group of wild Hyenas - who are good at hit and run. The Hyena pack leader Saidee talked in front of the Queen of the beasts Begum Zia against Humayun Azad in the parliament. Hyenas thereafter followed Humayun Azad to hit and run. The beasts around the queen are enjoying the dying condition of Humayun Azad - a tall and brave human being! There still remain many human beings in Bangladesh who are wishing and praying for him. The beasts around the queen should get to know the flow of humans toward the hospital where the brave and tall of all - Humayun Azad is fighting bravely for his life. Not long from now, the beasts and their queen and prince will not even get a place in Mirpur National Zoo. Bangladesh is too small for them to hide! Bangladeshis had eradicated the Pakistani fundies and their beasts in 1971. Yeah, I bet, Bangladeshis will eradicate the Bangladeshi fundies too for once and all. That time is not too long from now! ------------------------ Rezwan Siddique Khokon writes from College park, Maryland
Letter to Prime Minster of Bangladesh Jahed Ahmed
Dear Prime Minister B. Khaleda Zia, Years ago, there was a debate between your devoted nationalists and opposition party members - whether you did qualify or not, through Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam in the past. Opposition party, to your political disadvantage and to our apolitical feelings of shame and discomforts, revealed your disastrously poor performances in such subjects as Math , English as a secondary level student with help of the recorded documents issued by then education board. We were not upset much for we believed higher degree is not the only criterion to lead a country. We have been proved dead wrong!! Today, we are to put up with such disturbing news that an internationally recognized linguist, a unique intellectual among country's whole intelligentsia, most of all, an honest person, has been stabbed to death by militant hooligans in Dhaka despite government being warned repeatedly about the possibility of such as assault over last few weeks.
Dear Madam, with such fanatic atrocities being committed by Islamist extremists/fanatics on journalists/intellectuals/minorities (Hindu, Quadiyani, Tribal sects) almost on a daily basis, do you believe the people of the world would have to depend on , as you and some of your sycophant intellectuals love to theorize, so called "Jewish/Christian/Indian conspiracies" in order to learn about the existing social-political portraits of today's Bangladesh?
I'd rather become a fatalist and blame my own fate for having been cursed with such an illiterate, imprudent and complacent prime minister than pointing my finger merely to those hired thugs who have carried out today's assault on Prof. Dr. Humayun Azad!!! Sincerely,
love,
Jahed Ahmed
Co-coordinator
Mukto-Mona Rationalist Day Celebration Committee
New York
"There is more truth in honest doubt, Believe me, than in all the creeds".
-Tennyson
"What is to give light must endure burning".
-Viktor Frankl
Bangladesh has become a den of intolerant troublemakers
By Shabbir Ahmed
Honestly speaking, my motherland, Bangladesh, has become a very unsafe place for moderate people, freethinkers, and intellectuals under the aegis of the present government. A few days ago, it was reported that the goons of the ruling parties attacked a notable politician, Dr. Kamal Hussain. Today (February 27, 2004), the attack on Dr. Humayun Azad has become a news item. According to news report from diversified sources, he has been critically injured. As it appears, he is now fighting for his life. He has been transferred from Dhaka Medical College Hospital to the Combined Military Hospital. I’m sure that the physicians will try their best to save the life of this eminent scholar and intellectual. Bangladesh cannot afford to lose him. We don’t have many intellectuals the like Dr. Humayun Azad.
During the rule of the former government under Awami League, the fundamentalist miscreants attacked Poet Shamsur Rahman. The memory of that attack is still fresh in my mind. He critically survived from the attacks. The investigation was carried out at that time and the government showed serious concerns for the attack on the eminent poet of Bangladesh. The newspaper reports indicated that a number of the fundamentalist goons were arrested. However, the present government has suppressed most of these types of serious cases after assuming power. It was noticed that the then main opposition party BNP including their partner Jamaat-i-Islami tried hard to downplay the heinous attack on Poet Shamsur Rahman. They were even ridiculing the grave attack as a staged drama. Unfortunately, they’re in power at the present time. That is why they’re downplaying all the attacks against the moderates, minorities, and eminent people of the country. This is resulting in a serious sense of insecurity to the liberal and rational thinkers of Bangladesh.
These days, the government is not only downplaying but also distorting the facts. The Home Minister distorted the attack against Dr. Kamal Hussain by saying that the attacker was none but Dr. Kamal Hussain himself. It’s a matter of grave concern when the Home Minister of a country tries to cover up the attacks of the goons by accusing an eminent personality like Dr. Kamal Hussain. The goons are getting encouragement from the present government to attack the moderate and liberal people of the country. As a result, we are observing relentless attacks one after another.
The intellectuals such as Dr. Humayun Azad and late Dr. Ahmed Sharif were always under the Fatwa of the fundamentalist Maulanas (clerics) of Bangladesh. Many times, these disgruntle Maulanas associated with Jamaat-i-Islami issued Fatwa against the liberal/rational thinkers of Bangladesh. They always encourage their fundamentalist followers in meetings/gatherings to kill these intellectuals. So, it isn’t surprising that one group of these people conspired to kill a renowned intellectual like Dr. Humayun Azad. It’s highly likely because these groups openly declare Dr. Humayun Azad et al. as Murtads (apostates) and they try to incite their followers to kill them. Unfortunately, these groups of people are sharing power now. They’re downplaying these crimes continuously. It was possible that these types of crimes could have taken place during the time of the former government. However, there were serious concerns and serious efforts by the government to bring the culprits into justice despite the cover-up of the then opposition party BNP and their Jamaat-i-Islami coalition.
Dr. Humayun Azad recently wrote a book titled “Pak Sar Jamin Sad Bad (the first line of the Pakistani national anthem).” In this book, he criticized the role of the Pakistanis and the pro-Pakistani collaborators during erstwhile East Pakistan. All the fundamentalist parties collaborated with the killer Pakistani regime at one time or other. Dr. Humayun Azad by exposing their misdeeds has made them very angry. By a stroke of luck the collaborators are ruling Bangladesh now. The goons of these fundamentalists and the collaborators of Pakistan are attacking the pro-liberation and liberal-minded intellectuals. All the pro-liberation political parties should unite against the ruling pro-Pakistani fundamentalists and the collaborators of Pakistan. The liberal people of the country should also condemn the heinous acts of the fundamentalist goons even though the government isn’t serious to root them out. How can they root out the fundamentalist goons? After all, they are patronizing the fundamentalists by sharing power with them. Therefore, the conscious people should raise their strong voices and condemn the brutal attacks on an eminent intellectual like Dr. Humayun Azad. --------------------- Dr. Shabbir Ahmed, a frequent writer in cyber forum, writes from Naples, Florida.
We Must Drive out Mullahs from Our Land By Imran Hossain
I am shocked to read the news
of Dr Azad. I could not even imagine Mullahs can attack an honourable
professor. These Mullahs fed by Jamate Islami are now very strong. Also, they
are almost ready to attack other people like Dr Azad.
Our job in these web pages is
to illustrate the madness which is influenced by the religion of peace.
Regarding this brutal circumstance, I should not blame only BNP government for
the Mullahs’ disturbance (utpat), Awami League is also involved with Razakar
Bahini. I saw Sheik Hasina seated by Razakar Nijami during the
non-cooptation movement in 1996. Mullahs Attacked Shamsul Haque in his house
and killed a police officer in a Masque when Awami League was in power. I
believe both BNP and Awami League are failed to control Mullahs. Now, that is
a tremendous concern for civilians. Mullahs’ wings are increasing day by day.
These illiterate Mullahs do not have any idea of the modern world. They just
know Islam-Allah, Bedouins, etc. Those human-animals do not even bother to
attack a highly educated man Dr Azad i.e. the asset of
When we write in the web pages like Vinnomot and Mukto-Mona to protest Islamic terrorisms, then why people like MC, Ashraf etc. come out to dispute our mission? Where are they now? Why don’t they go out of their home to protest for Dr Azad? Maybe they will not do that because this barbaric work is done for the interest of Islam, right? We are taught good lessons. We all have to be careful; we have to watch out ourselves. We should never disclose our picture and real identity in the forums. Islamists are so dangerous species on earth. We all have to work hard to drive out Mullahs’ dogma from our home land now. Otherwise, Islamists will keep doing barbaric work which they have applied on Dr Azad. We all should pray to God for Dr Azad’s life.
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