Remove Ban on Ahmadiya Books in Bangladesh

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On January 8, the Bangladesh government banned "all books and booklets" of the Ahmadiya Muslims (also known as Qadiani) in Bangladesh. The government did this in the face of organized rallies and attacks on mosques by a group called Khatme Nabuwot (more recently renamed International Khatme Nabuwot). According to the news broadcast on state channel BTV, the ban extended to "Bengali or any other translation of the Quran Majid."

The gpvernment claims this was taken to ensure "safety and security" in Bangladesh. In fact, the government has given in to the demands of Islamic zealots, who are distorting the true teachings of Islam. Since the ban, Khatme Nabuwot has been emboldened and has launched a program of "liberating" 91 Ahmadiya mosques in the country [Source: April 6 Press Conference of Khatme Nabuwot]. Attacks have been launched by Khatme Nabuwot activists in Noakhali, Barguna and Ponchogor. Ahmadiya Muslims have been confined to their homes, had their properties stolen and, in Rangpur, a group of 15 Ahmadiyas were tortured and forced to renounce their faith. The Khatme Nabuwot campaign also insists that the government pass a law declaring Ahmadiyas "non-Muslim," as has been done in Pakistan.

The government's actions continue to encourage the extremists. In some cases, the state machinery is standing idly by, in other cases it is an active participant. Significantly, on April 17, police escorted Khatme Nabuwot members into an Ahmadiya mosque in Nakalpara and confiscated copies of the Quran and Bukhari Sharif. The Khatme Nabuwot program been implicitly supported by the country's largest Islamist party Jamaat, a coalition member in the present government. Most noticably, Jamaat MP Delwar Hossain Sayedee published a book in February titled "Why Qadianis are not Muslims?" (Global Publishing).

Article 41 of the Bangladesh Constitution guarantees the right of religious freedom:
"(a) every citizen has the right to profess, practice or propagate any religion;
(b) every religious community or denomination has the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions."

Yet the Bangladesh government's recent actions go against this very basic clause of the constitution. We, the undersigned ask the government to immediately remove the ban on Ahmadiya books. We also ask the government to stand firm against any demands to declare Ahmadiyas "non-Muslim."

1851 Signatures

  • Syed Ali
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Bangla Rights
  • Utsha Rahman
  • Faustina Pereira
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK)
    • Current Address
    • ask@citechco.net
  • Sultana Kamal
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK)
    • Current Address
    • ask@citechco.net
  • Shireen Huq
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • shireen@pradeshta.net
  • Hiren pandit
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • doorbar@pradeshta.net
  • Ruby Ghuznavi
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Aranya
    • Current Address
    • doorbar@pradeshta.net
  • Perween Hasan
    • Current Address
    • doorbar@pradeshta.net
  • Habiba
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • doorbar@pradeshta.net
  • Umme Habiba
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • convenor@pradeshta.net
  • Fazila Banu Lily
    • Current Address
    • fblily@bdmail.net
  • Amita Dey
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • dfid
    • Current Address
    • A-dey@dfid.gov.uk
  • Shamsun Nessa
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • Shamsun@pradeshta.net
  • Rina Roy
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • manusher
    • Current Address
    • rina@manusher.dhaka.net
  • Sujit
    • Current Address
    • Sujit-59@yahoo.com
  • Azad Hossain
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Naripokkho
    • Current Address
    • azad-956@yahoo.com
  • Khandaker Mahmudur Rahman
    • Current Address
    • kdrmahmud@yahoo.com
  • Fatema-Tuz-Zahura
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Doorbar
    • Current Address
    • ftzahrah@yahoo.com
  • Sabina Yeasmin
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Shoghoti
    • Current Address
    • shoghoti@pradeshta.net
  • Hameeda Hossain
  • Sadeka Halim
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Associate Professor, Dhaka University
  • Meghna Guhathakurta
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Professor, Dhaka University
  • Shamsul Bari
  • Zein Ghuznavi
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Aranya Crafts Ltd.
    • Current Address
    • aranya@citech-bd.com
  • nazim afshin choudhury
  • Ariful Kabir
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Nijera Kori
  • Naeem Mohaiemen
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Shobak.org
  • Asif Saleh
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Drishtipat
  • Imran Rahman
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Dhaka University
  • Lafifa Jamal
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • University of Dhaka
  • Mahmud Farooque
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • George Mason University
  • Waseem Ahmed
  • Tanweer Akram
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Pressaction.com, VA
  • Rumi Ahmed
  • Iffat Nawaz
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Drishtipat
  • Hasan Ferdous
  • Shaireen Islam
  • Saiful Huq
  • Robin Khundkar
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • South Asia Forum, California
  • Ashfaque Mahmood
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Drishtipat
  • Amjad Khan
  • Shamim Huq
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Texas, USA
  • Sharmin Banu
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Drishtipat, USA
  • Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Professor, Department of Theatre and Music, University of Dhaka.
  • Rabbi Ahmed
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • JP Morgan Chase
  • Salman Sajid
  • Udayan Chattopadhyay
  • Atiq Nabi
    • Affiliation/Organization
    • Drishtipat
  • Saleem Qadir
  • Iftikhar Ahmed