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Concern over atrocities by religious fanatics

South Asian People’s Union against Fundamentalism and Communalism and Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee in a joint statement yesterday expressed concern over what they said were growing atrocities by the religious fanatics under the patronage of the government.

Earlier on August 27, strong resistance by pro-liberation war forces prevented the fanatic organisations from taking control of the Ahmadiyya Complex in Bakshibazar, but the religious bigots with support of the local administration succeeded in occupying Ahmadiyya mosques in Chittagong, Patuakhali and Khulna, said the statement.

The statement also expressed worries over anti-Ahmadiyya outfit Khatme Nobuwat’s plans to occupy Ahmadiyya Masque in Narayanganj on October 8.

Repression on the religious minorities has grown to huge proportions since the alliance government came in power, the statement said. Various human rights organisations too in their reports noted the increased human rights violations in the country, the statement added.

Besides, the statement deplored the growing number of deaths under police custody and mass arrests.

The policy makers of the present government must be brought to justice in national and international courts for political persecution to resist the opposition parties, it said.

The signatories to the statement urged all pro-liberation war social, political and cultural organisations to unite against the misrule of the present government.

Professor Kabir Chowdhury, women activist Hena Das, former Justice KM Sobhan, singer Kalim Sharafi, artist Qaiuum Chowdhury, architect Rabiul Hussain, diplomat Waliur Rahman, film maker Shamim Akhter, novelist Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, freedom fighter Shirin Banu Mitil, social activist Abu Sayeed, among many others, signed the statement.