The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Communalism, against which Bangladeshi people fought during Pakistan period was now stronger than before due to interference of the imperialist forces, said speakers at a roundtable in the city yesterday.

Left-leaning Democratic front organised a roundtable on the Communalism and Imperialism in the country at Bangladesh Communist Party (CPB) office.

Jatin Sarkar presided over the roundtable, while Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Prof MM Akash, Prof Anu Mohammad, Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee President Shahariar Kabir, Columnist Abul Muksud, CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan, Kamal Lohanee and Dileep Barua, among others, addressed it.

Rashed Khan Menon said the headquarters of all militant parties were in Pakistan. Bangladeshi Islamic militants were being trained in militancy in Pakistan.

Jatin Sarkar said the communalism tarnished the image of the country and religion. The communalism should be removed to protect human rights in the country and not only to protect the minorities' rights, he added.

Syed Abul Muksud said, "The modus operandi of imperialism is being changed to invade our country, so we have to change our protection techniques."

The British pushed the people of Indian Subcontinent to communal violence to divide them after the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. The movements of Bangladeshi people from 1947 to 1971 were against communalism. The people wanted Bangladesh as a non-communal country.

Kamal Lohanee said not only the Pakistani rulers, but also the people of our country were responsible for the spread of communalism in the country.

Prof Anu Mohammad said people could not trust the Awami League and BNP regarding the trial of war criminals. The parties did not take any step against the war criminals during their regimes.

Anu Mohammad said though the previous ruling parties exempted the war criminals, the people never excused the criminals.

Anu Mohammad also said Bangali Muslims are neither given recognition as Bangalee by the Bangalees of West Bengal nor as Muslims by the Muslim countries. Pakistani rulers tried to force the Bangladeshi Muslims to become pure Muslims, he added.