I was like many others

I too once loved to dream like countless other people. Like many, I thought Bangladesh would one day become a truly non-communal, secular state. There will be no discrimination on the basis of religion. It will be a country that is tolerant of other religions and respects the views of others. Where there will be all kinds of freedom of opinion and thought. The web we have been weaving of the so-called thousand years of secular tradition will one day be fulfilled. Like many other left-leaning activist supporters, I also believed that our country would one day regain its 'lost' heritage. However, despite my childhood inclination towards leftism, religion never seemed to me to be merely a by-product of a production system or a class-divided society. It has always seemed to me a separate entity. Born from the eternal uncertainty of the human mind and fear of the unknown. Likewise, I have strong objections to measuring all religions on the same scale. Not all religions have the same tendency to evolve, adapt and reform.

I still disagree when a section of left-wing historians attribute the spread of Islam in Bengal to the hideous casteism prevailing in Hinduism. First of all, casteism or casteism came in Bengal during the Sen period. Earlier it did not exist in the whole of Bengal. Brahmanism appeared in Bengal during the Sen period. They were the first importers of this substance called Brahmin in Bengal with which came caste differences. They brought these Brahmins to Bengal from the then Kanauj area. But the Sen rule never extended much beyond East Bengal. Therefore, it is not true that the Hindus accepted Islam in groups due to the influence of the so-called soft form of Islam or Sufism and the tyranny of Brahmanism in Bengal. Islam came to Bengal by the sword. Why is the picture the same in the whole world only in Bengal? In Bengal, rather, casteism has a strong foundation. During Islamic rule. It was established in Bengal by the hands of councilors and employees who came from North India along with the Islamic rulers.

The main reason for the strong position of Islam in Bengal is eternal. That royal grace and favor of the ruler. In addition to the lack of a strong formal position of any religion, mainly Hinduism, there is also mass conversion. Since its arrival is through the sword, it is very natural. The people of this region practiced Sahajiya animistic religion since prehistoric times. That is why Buddhist Tantrayana got a strong foundation here. Most of whom later assimilated into Hinduism. Although it had no strong regional form. Remnants of this can still be found in Hinduism prevalent in southern Bengal. Another part of this Sahiya doctrine is the Baul community. Therefore, the fact that the left-wing pundits attribute the spread of Islam to the extreme humiliation of the lower class people at the hands of the upper caste is a fragmented truth.

I would like to mention an interesting topic here. In North India, where this hideous system of casteism is most prevalent, Islam has not spread as much as in Bengal. The number of Muslims there is mainly in urban areas. They are mostly descendants of Mughals, Pathans, Arabs, Persian rulers, Amatyas, servants and soldiers. Almost all of them speak Urdu. which was the language of the Mughal cantonment. Even in South India, where Hindi is not widely spoken, the language of the Muslim population is predominantly Urdu. The picture of North India differs from Bengal in that Hinduism has a strong institutional base. However, that institutional form is highly caste and caste based.

Anyway back to the main point. Believe me, it would be great if I could think like many other progressive activists. But I have no doubt that one day Bangladesh will become economically more prosperous. It may even have relatively sustainable democracy and good governance. But I cannot imagine that it will achieve a strong non-communal, secular and religious non-discrimination system. It is not possible just because it is a Muslim majority country. There is no other reason. What has not happened in any other Muslim country in the world, there is no reason for it to happen in Bangladesh. Many left-wing and progressive historians blame the British rulers for this religious hatred. Yes, it all started during that period. But its originator is hero Titumir or Haji Shariatullah for many leftists. Even before this, i.e. till the middle of the 19th century, the newly converted Muslims of Bengal practiced a kind of Sahajiya religion. They participated in almost all folk pujas, took vows in temples and even girls used conch vermilion. They were mostly nominal Muslims. Titumir was the first to fix them. He tried to establish a kind of caliphate by ousting the British besides introducing pure Islam. Later, Haji Shariatullah also did much the same thing. Before this, many villages did not even have people to offer prayers. In any case, the British have only fueled these fanatical efforts of the Muslims. So this syncretism means that the first blow to the so-called thousand years of non-sectarian tradition came from the hands of a section of Muslims. A fact that many people want to avoid.

Coming to this place, many people try to get some kind of comfort by talking about different types or forms of Islam. But they don't want to understand that all of this is ultimately extremely intolerant. If we look at other countries, we will see extreme persecution of Parsis or Bahais in Iran, forced conversion of Kalash community in Afghanistan or Pakistan, genocide and torture of Yazidis and Christians in Middle East, Armenians in Turkey, the dream country of Muslims.

The genocide was all but committed by followers of different sects of Islam. Religion is the only motivation behind every event. Many of the Young Turks who established the secularism imposed on Turkey are believed to be directly involved in the Armenian Genocide. So I am sad that like those progressive people who dream that Bangladesh will one day be the most secular state in South Asia, I am not able to see that dream. It is not possible just because it is a Muslim majority country. Silent ethnic cleansing going on in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, continuous emigration of Hindus and other tribals was not mentioned or said.

Today, however, many call the continued emigration of Hindus cowardice or escapism, pointing to the recent heroic protests of the Santals. All I want to say to them is that the number of Santals even at the end of the Pakistan period was about seven to atlakhs which is less than one lakh now. But they also left the country. Therefore, no matter how much we try to cover the growing sectarianism and intolerance in the public with the color of politics and banditry, it is nothing but an attempt to hide the real truth. If the seed is planted deep in the mind, it will turn into happiness if it gets the right environment.