Why this silence on organised anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh?
July 27, 2009 by Dr. Richard L. Benkin
Filed under Dr. Richard L. Benkin, Guest column
Reports began trickling out of Bangladesh this spring about an anti-Hindu violence in the heart of its capital carried out in three stages: March 30, April 17, and April 29. A community of approximately 400 Hindus was reportedly going about its business when “hundreds of Muslims” suddenly descended on them and demanded they quit the homes where they and their families had lived for the past 150 years. Witnesses also report that police watched passively while attackers beat residents and destroyed a Hindu temple. Read more
Stop Shaking Your Fists and do Something!
July 7, 2009 by Dr. Richard L. Benkin
Filed under Dr. Richard L. Benkin, Guest column
I was asked to come here today to talk about the ethnic cleansing of Bangladeshi Hindus: by Islamists—who drive it—“average” Bangladeshi Muslims—who carry it out—and the Bangladesh government—that has encouraged it almost since the day of its birth. That is why I am here. But I grow weary of attending conference after conference where I see the same people shaking the same ineffective fists at the same enemies. What do they think they are accomplishing?
To those who never tire of complimenting themselves for their years of work on the victims’ behalf; to Bangladeshi politicians who cynically claim to be the Hindus’ great hope; and to those international organizations that pretend to carry the mantle of human rights; I ask:
With all of your “heroic” action, have things gotten any better for the Bangladeshi Hindus? Are they any safer today than they were when you started your activity? Has Bangladesh repealed the openly anti-Hindu Vested Property Act that provides the legal framework for ethnic cleansing and rewards the victimizers with the victims’ land?
With all of your “heroic” action, why have Hindus fallen from 30 percent of the population at the time of Partition (1947) to nine percent today?
My God! Have we learned nothing from the Nazi Holocaust? Do we really have to wonder what the end of these sterile actions will be; not for us, but for the Bangladeshi Hindus? Look at Pakistan’s Hindus, who were once one fifth of the population but are only one percent today. Even that remnant is streaming into Indian Punjab ahead of the advancing Taliban; and I saw that for myself in March. Read more
Bangladesh Militant’s Taliban Connection
March 22, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Bangladesh government, for the first time, officially endorsed a fact that, a hidden link between the local militants and Taliban terrorists were established since past several years. Government also said that a large number of militants were recruited in country’s law enforcing agencies and armed forces during the past BNP-Islamist Coalition government. Earlier, Commerce Minister, retired Lieutenant Colonel Faruk Khan told reporters that militants penetrated into country’s border security forces, who were liable for February Massacre that took place at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] killing large number of army officers, rape and physical abuse of several people. The minister claimed, Islamist militancy group JMB had hands behind the entire conspiracy centering February Massacre. But, Law Minister, Barrister Shafiq Ahmed rejected the comments of the Commerce Minister saying, “It will not be proper to accuse anybody until a full investigation report is available. On conclusion of the investigation, the names of persons involved will be made public.†Read more
Murder of Army Officers – Wrong man chosen as IO
March 4, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Following brutal murder of Army Officers inside Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] Headquarters during February 25 and 26, a case was lodged with Lalbagh Police Station by officer-in-charge Nabojyoti Khisha. Main accused in the case is one of the kingpins of the brutality, Towhidul Alam, former deputy assistant director of BDR.
It was naturally expected that after such tragic brutality in the history of Bangladesh, the ruling government might have shown minimum sincerity in at least investigating the case through neutral hands, so that perpetrators, belonging to any quarter, would be identified for trial. Abdul Kahhar Akhand, Assistant Superintendent of Police [ASP], who only couple of back got his job back, after Awami League government, came in power. Another officer who has been made the ´comrade´ of Kahhar Akhand is ASP Bazlur Rahman. Both are with Criminal Investigation Department [CID]. Read more
Bangladesh: February Massacre & Operation Rebel Hunt
March 3, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Members of Armed Forces are called by the government, which will come into effect from Monday morning to nab each and every rebel, their instigators and patrons, who were behind the February Massacre, killing more than 135 heroic officers of Bangladesh Army as well as their friends and family members. Experts opine that, Bangladesh Army has complete sympathy and support of the people of Bangladesh in nabbing the culprits. The entire nation is heavy with shock and pain. They want to see trial of the killers and their perpetrators without wasting even a second.
Meanwhile, several days have now passed since the siege laid to the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters was brought to an end and yet, the nation is unable to draw a line under the bloody massacre that was carried out there by a section of murderous troops on February 25 and 26.
To begin with, the nation is yet to learn the full extent of the carnage, given that the whereabouts of many army officers are still unknown. And second, they still do not know why or how this brutal massacre was carried out, who were behind it, and what their motives were. In order to move forward, therefore, the entire nation must not only understand the full extent of the crimes committed and punish those responsible for such barbaric acts, it is also extremely important to find the answers to the many questions that plague the public mind. Read more
Awami League Blowing its Chance
March 1, 2009 by Dr. Richard L. Benkin
Filed under Dr. Richard L. Benkin, Guest column
As an individual from one country who often finds himself protesting the actions of another, I frequently am told that doing so or demanding change is an affront to a nation’s sovereignty. That is seriously ironic, considering the continuous demands placed on my country, the United States, and my people’s country, Israel. Bangladeshi officials and governments, for instance, have demanded that Israel withdraw from territory, give free reign to Hamas terrorists committed to its destruction, release murderers of its people, give away its capital Jerusalem, create and fund a hostile state, and so forth. Some have demanded the US quit Iraq or close the terrorist holding base at Guantanamo. So be it; that is their prerogative. Read more
Was it BDR troop mutiny or pre-planned murder?
March 1, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Although members of media in Bangladesh and elsewhere were initially confused in giving the correct name to what happened during February 25-26 inside the Bangladesh Riffles headquarters at Pilkhana in Dhaka. Some said, it is mutiny, some said otherwise. But, as the information of the entire episode is gradually getting public, it is becoming crystal clear that the entire episode was pre-planned murder of the officers of Bangladesh army. To understand the conspiracy behind, we have to evaluate some facts as well some statements of several politicians and so-called intellectuals of this country.. Let us carefully go through some of the important points chronologically:
It is already learnt from various statements of the survived officers that, red and yellow color bandana and masks were already dumped inside the toilet adjacent to Darbar Hall much ahead of the incident. This has been disclosed also by survived officer Major Monir in an interview with a vernacular daily on March 1, 2009. The very first question is how this was done secretly? Moreover, this evidently shows that, the conspirators were prepared for the brutal murder and
atrocities already. Read more
Genocide in the Making — and the World is Silent
February 28, 2009 by Dr. Richard L. Benkin
Filed under Dr. Richard L. Benkin, Guest column
For over thirty years, Islamist radicals have been engaging in a systematic program of ethnic cleansing in Bangladesh. When they began, Hindus accounted for somewhat less than one in five Bangladeshis; today they are fewer that one in ten. Professor Sachi Dastidar of SUNY has estimated that the number of “lost” Hindus (that is, those murdered and those never born as a result of the ethnic cleansing) could total as many as 35 million!
Nor is it only the radicals who are culpable. The first partner in crime is the succession of governments in Bangladesh. It did not matter if they were right of center, left of center, a dictatorship, civilian or military. Every one of them maintained a blatantly racist act that has been a cornerstone in the Islamist plan: The Vested Property Act (VPA). Read more
Lies about Bangladesh Army, conspiracy and responsibility of the Nation
February 28, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Since the mutiny renegade Bangladesh Riffles [BDR] troops, a number of private television channels, mostly owned by questioned people started broadcasting various news, commentaries and interviews, aimed at maligning the image of the armed forces of Bangladesh. Most interestingly, only a few reporters of television channels were receiving phone calls from the renegade troops from inside the Pilkhana BDR headquarters. Here is the first question and doubt! How the renegade troops got the mobile phone numbers of those reporters belonging to questioned television channels? Read more
Bangladesh: Tears of anger
February 27, 2009 by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Filed under Guest column, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Two soldiers, second from left and third from right, the border guard force known as the Bangladesh Rifles, who were held as hostages by mutinous soldiers, after they were released by their captors on Thursday. (Andrew Biraj/Reuters)
Meanwhile, according information, most of the killings and rape took place after Prime Minister announced General Amnesty to the mutineer BD troops on Wednesday afternoon. It is further learnt the delegation of mutineer on their return from the Prime Minister’s residence, told their fellow rebel comrades to ‘clear-up’ the remaining number of held officers as well give ‘good lesson’ to the female members of the officers. The mutineers also buried dead bodies of the army officers as they got more than 30-hours in the name of negotiations with the government. Read more

