Fanatics gaining ground ?

Some of the recent incidents in the country have undermined the efforts to portray the image of Bangladesh as a moderate Muslim democracy in the international arena.

The recent banning of all kinds of publications by the Ahmadiyya community is just a glaring example of how the government is playing in the hands of a few religious bigots. It is not clear as to what prompted the decision to ban such publications.

The small Ahmadiyya community has been here for long and they were not known to be creating any social unrest.

Why then this sudden ban? In any case, a democratic government is supposed to ensure protection to every citizen of the country so that he or she can practise his or her religion. The ban on publications of the minority Ahmadiya community does not speak of democracy.

The recent bombing at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) of Sylhet might be yet another proof of the growing power of the religious fundamentalists.

I am afraid like many other past incidents, the Sylhet bombing will also remain unresolved.

It is rather an irony that parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was against our independence, is gaining more clout in the mainstream politics. They are increasingly becoming a third force in our political power game. The reason for Jamaat's increasing influence is not that people believe in its fundamentalism, but that people are left with no other alternatives as they have lost confidence in the leadership of the two major political parties.

We cannot allow the fundamentalists to take control of our destiny as a nation and destroy the very essence of our national identity.