Religious cacophony

All religions, whether monotheistic, deistic or multi-theistic, have in general patriarchal attitude and misogynistic dichotomy built in their basic religious narratives. But within this global view, Islam in particular, or more accurately, parochial narrative of Islam as propounded by illiterate or at best half-literate mullahs (assuming lofty Islamic honorific titles of 'Maulana', 'Allama', etc.) seems to excel.

When "Allama" Ahmad Shafi, chief of Hifazat-e Islam, in a recorded sermon to his disciples a couple of weeks ago in Chittagong drew analogy between women and mouth-watering tamarinds by pointing out that men salivate when they see women the same way as they salivate when they see tamarinds, he was probably giving verbal expression to his depraved inner feelings tarnished by his religious beliefs. He continued expressing his views on women unabashed and at one point he asked his audience 'when you see women or shake hands with them, you start having ill intentions in your heart'; 'Am I right or not?' His audience applauded his message enthusiastically.

This vile episode begs serious questions: what moral standard this "Allama" holds (or Allamas hold) and what moral values is he disseminating? Doesn't the State hold any responsibility to put an end to such vile messages and misogynistic vulgarity that is transmitted by this morally depraved man and many others like him up and down the country in the name of religious preaching? Aren't these people sowing the seed of moral corruption to corrode the nation? Aren't these mullahs and Imams masquerading as religious preachers abusing religion to further their selfish ends? These questions and many others need to be addressed by the nation urgently now to put an end to corrosion and erosion of morality and ethical standards of the country.

It is extremely unfortunate that this obnoxious state of affairs has arisen in a country like Bangladesh which fought so vigorously to free itself from the shackles of Islamic State of Pakistan. The country came into being on the basis of Bengali language and literature, Bengali heritage and culture. A wayward decision by our ancestors to opt for the religious segregation and division of the Indian subcontinent was, on hindsight, a sentimental outburst. The Islamic State of Pakistan comprising two incongruent, inhomogeneous provinces with the only tenuous link of common religion was not a good starting point for the Nationhood. In no more than few months after the 'independence' of Pakistan in 1947, fault lines between the demands of an Islamic State and the aspirations of Bengali people started to emerge. The 1952 Language Movement epitomised this division and since then, there was no turning back.

Although Bangladesh seceded from Pakistan in 1971 on the face of tooth and nail opposition from the vested religious interest groups purporting the virtues of Islam, these groups never accepted, at their hearts, Bangladesh as a separate non-religious country. For four years (from 1971 to 1975) in order to escape from the wrath of public anger and outrage for their brutality and inhumanity during the Liberation War, these religious groups (branded as Razakars, al-Badr and so forth) remained subdued and just marked their time. Bangladesh's 1st Constitution stated quite clearly that it is the 'Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh' and it is going to be secular in character. But as soon as opportunity arose, these religious groups raised their ugly heads to pounce.

The opportunity to either reconcile (as was done in South Africa after Nelson Mandela's release from prison after 27 years) between the opposing forces of the liberation struggle in Bangladesh or carry out a full-blooded war crimes trial was lost by the so-called 'father of the nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. An uneasy state of limbo prevailed, although the country had the secular constitution in place. The main reason was that the country was bereft with endemic corruption and Sheikh Mujib was just unable or unwilling to control it. The general public started asking the question – was the sacrifice worth it?

The State failed the general public in more ways than one. Not only economy failed miserably leading to the devastating famine in 1975, the law and order situation collapsed, corruption was beyond control and the disparity between 'haves' and 'have-nots' went off the scale. As the rich became richer without limits — flashy cars, imported food and unbridled partying went unabated — the poor went hungry, hundreds, if not thousands, of destitute people left dying on the streets in the capital city. There was a total breakdown of the State control.

In a vacuous state like this, religious (Islamic) factions foresaw their opportunity. They offered help, in the name of religion, to the hungry people. These religious groups were supported by foreign interests, particularly by Saudi Arabia extolling the virtues of fundamentalist Islamic ideology (Wahhabism). But those were not the appropriate time to filter out unacceptable and/or aggressive ideologies as long as people were fed and their lives were saved.  When Ziaur Rahman took control of the country in a coup after the assassination of Sheikh Mujib, he amended the constitution by a "Presidential Decree" to alter the provision of secularism to Islamic ideology by inserting "absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah". At the same time, for political expediency he allowed Ghulam Azam and others, who were implicated with the massacre of Bangladeshis during the Liberation War, to come to Bangladesh and participate in national political/religious activities, but not participate in national elections. Further relaxation of restrictions on Razakars and other Islamic groups were granted by General Ershad and Khaleda Zia, again for their political advantages.

When a country faces political and economic turmoil, it is quite natural for the common people — innocent and mostly illiterate — to become religious and seek divine help. That sought-after divine help did come, when the State failed, from the vested religious groups such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, Mujahidden and many more. The Saudi Arabia government poured money through various state organs as well as through private organisations like Ibn-Sina Bank, Ibn-Sina Hospital, various educational institutions, etc. – all with the avowed purpose of propagating fundamentalist ideology of Islam (Wahhabism). Pakistan through the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) transferred money, logistics and support to political parties and Islamist groups in Bangladesh to re-establish their brand of Islamic ideology in the country. All of these activities were going on when the Government was unable or unwilling to curtail these activities.

For every movement or cause, there needs to be a good organisation and charismatic leadership. When Bangladesh's political leaders, elected as well as unelected, were deeply involved and engaged in corruption, in political hickory dickory activities, the religious leaders — albeit bigoted — were pursuing their own political/religious agenda. They established their religious roots and branches up and down the country, won the minds of the poor people by spreading the religious message that they are being tested by Allah now but good fortune and unimaginable comfort awaits them in the heaven only if they do what the mullahs ask them to do. The net is thus laid widely shackling the unsuspecting public and it is not surprising at all that these Islamic groups will pull the net when time comes to get the maximum catch.

To be successful in politico-religious game, three basic elements must be in place and these are: (i) the breakdown of the state control, (ii) supply/import of financial and logistic supports, and (iii) good organisational management of the group with charismatic leadership. In Bangladesh, all three elements seem to have suitably converged now to have the fundamentalist Islamic ideology to go unabated. Ahmad Shafi's utterance is just an outward expression of what has already been laid on the ground and these buffoons/leaders are now getting ready to reap the fruits of their long hard slog. The mosques in each and every street in Dhaka and in other cities, mosques in every village, community and delta do blare out unremittingly Allah's message (mostly concocted) by the mullahs. The madrassahs are churning out illiterate, uncouth, unemployable clowns in millions, who know nothing other than what their buffoon mullahs taught them from Quran (or their version of Quran) and they can do nothing other than demonstrating on the streets.

Bur it is not yet too late to pull the country from this abyss. It is the government that can keep the country afloat, save the country from being pulled back to the dark ages by these mullahs masquerading as "Allamas", supported by foreign rich and powerful nations and organisations. The country will have to pay for its past failures; there is no escaping from it. But if it fails now, at this critical juncture, the country will irretrievably be damaged and can possibly never recover.

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A. Rahman is a Nuclear Safety Specialist.