The Wrath of the Religious Right

Freethinkers, leftwingers, leftover communists, atheists, many liberals, religious minorities (particularly Hindus) and most members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Bangladesh have yielded the political space to the religious right post-July 2024.

Instead of working with the current Interim Government led by Prof. Mohammad Yunus who did not have a right-wing bone in his body, they embarked on relentless rants through Facebook statuses, both within Bangladesh and abroad. 

That is the extent of their political involvement. Everything seems to be wrong, and the country seems to be on a downward spiral to a Caliphate. They have blurred the lines between constructive criticism and unproductive whining, all because of the fact that they have simply not accepted Sheikh Hasina, aka Awami League’s demise.

This, according to yours truly, has been a gross mistake on their part since the only way to affect the shape of Bangladesh 2.0 is through engagement with all stakeholders, and by NOT burying heads in the sand while not on Facebook, waiting for Hasina’s return.

It is very true that the religious right in Bangladesh have found a new voice that had been brutally suppressed by Sheikh Hasina all these years, and that the group has now taken the opportunity to abuse this new-found freedom.

That abuse not only contravened Bangladesh’s past secular credentials, secular with a small ‘s’ that is, but also attempted to rewrite parts of the story of country’s political journey to an independent state, while presenting at the same time, an essence of the country that was culturally alien to many.

But why let their voices be the ones that matter the most? Where are our voices outside of the Facebook noise? Why are we not engaging with those who sometimes wish us harm? Is there going to be social and political space left in the country for the freethinkers, leftwingers, leftover communists, atheists, many liberals, religious minorities (particularly Hindus) and the LGBTQIA+ community, if they all resign from talking the talk in a place and in a way that matters the most?

I happen to think not. It is with this realization and Mr. Yunus’s earlier call to all Bangladeshis to treat one another as members of one big family who happen to disagree on a lot of things, that I chose to engage not only with the Interim Government, but also with the wide spectrum of people in the X group, some of whom openly wished me harm.

I have repeatedly brought up the undeniable presence of certain discriminations inherent in Political Islam and that Bangladeshis must not allow any creeping elements of Shariah Law to govern our lives -- with all due expected backlashes. Not engaging is not an option if we are to preserve our voices and space in Bangladesh 2.0.

The tug of war between us and them must be fought openly, honestly, and intellectually.

Riaz Osmani is a political and social analyst.