Prof Anu Muhammad Criticizes Governments for Denying Responsibility in Communal Violence

Prof Anu Muhammad sharply criticized successive governments for blaming “foreign conspiracies” instead of taking responsibility for communal violence in Bangladesh.

Referring to past incidents, he said that during the Ramu attacks, officials called it a Jamaat-BNP plot to sabotage war crimes trials, while during recent violence in Khagrachhari, it was blamed on “made in India” forces. He argued that this denial prevents real investigations, as local leaders are often involved.

Speaking at a discussion on communal violence marking 13 years since the Ramu Buddhist temple attacks, he said communal violence is not spontaneous but strategically orchestrated for political and economic gains.

He cited the 2012 Ramu attacks sparked by a fake Facebook post and the 2001 post-election violence against minorities as examples. He pointed out that while many criminal cases were filed, few received justice, continuing a cycle of impunity dating back decades.

Prof Muhammad emphasized that communalism serves minority elite interests disguised as majority will and that mobs are manipulated by powerful organizers exploiting religious sentiment.

He also demanded transparency in land ownership in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, urging the government to publish lessee names to reveal vested interests fueling instability.

He concluded that restoring communal harmony requires political will, not just administrative orders, and called for a Bangladesh where no one faces fear or humiliation due to religion, gender, or ethnicity.