In a show of strong adherence to communal style rule, Jamaat e Islami offered an open arm embracement to one former teacher of a private university who ran a hate campaign against transgender communities and demanded members of these communities be declared as outcast.
In a public event, Asif Mahtab, tore down pages from class seven textbook as the chapter contained awareness against Hizra (3rd gender) community.
Asif, who holds strong aversion to transgender community, even stressed on ramping up a movement that envisaged members of transgender communities should be driven out of societies and mounted pressure on the government to stop incorporating any awareness scheme in textbook.
Soon after, Jamaat threw all out might to shore up public support in favour of the latest round of derogatory and slanderous remarks made against the vulnerable community. This targeted attack on the community evokes an earlier electoral pledge Jamaat leaders promised to run the country in accordance with Sariah law, a vision that seeks to abolish all manmade laws but rejected by people outright in polls.
In a press statement, the pro Pakistani radical outfit congratulated that hate campaigner and asked party cadres to launch a wave of movement against the government clearly vilifying the community.
On top that, BNP so far refused to condemn Jamaat’s statement that further exposed the party’s acting chief’s reliance on bloody and treacherous paths pursued by his father who became the first military dictator by propping up Jamaat in politics, observers contended .
The campaign has been designed to hide the outright failure on part of BNP Jamaat combine in courting public support for the anti-democratic demand of thwarting polls with fire-bombing of vehicles and
trains that saw over 20 lives perished in the weeks leading to polls and on election day.
Before the polls, Tarique Rahman, the acting chief of BNP, made several outreach to Jamaat, that
resulted in simultaneous movement from the combine including enforcement of blockade and arson attacks on buses and trains.
Even Hindu voters were assaulted, intimidated and a monastery was burnt down.
While academics came down heavily on Jamaat for open embracement of Asif Mahtab, BNP’s backing for Jamaat further reinforced the image of the party as the biggest threat against communal harmony.
A similar stance between BNP and Jamaat against minorities had been vindicated ahead of polls also.
This latest round of targeted slurs and slanders clearly proved a return of BNP Jamaat combine would undo the progresses the country achieved for the last decades in terms of minorities.
Under the fifteen years of Sheikh Hasina, lives of transgender people have been transformed by leaps and bounds with Ashrayan project, a housing scheme of the premier, saw several hundred community members now own houses and gain economic independence after provided with trainings on income generating scheme.
In January 2014, the Bangladesh government officially gave recognition to Hijras as the third gender, a rear but significant step that saw positive outcome for the community.
Also BNP’s refusal to condemn Jamaat stance further exposed the deep rooted nexus between the two outfits still remain intact and their commitment for standing for a secular cause is only an image
makeover.
Months ahead of polls, BNP and Jamaat both combine ran a hate campaign against Ahmadiyya communities following an attack on the community in a northern district.
In January2014, the Bangladesh government officially gave recognition to hijras as the third gender, a rear but significant step that saw positive outcome for the community.
