Sheikh Hasina's Rule Blamed for Rising Religious Violence in Bangladesh

Violence against minorities

Historian Irfan Habib has condemned the ongoing violence against minority communities in Bangladesh and said former prime minister Sheikh Hasina destroyed the neighbouring country's unity and integrity.

My clear position on what's happening in Bangladesh and what's happening in Bangladesh is that religious violence has to be condemned. Violence and hatred must be condemned in the name of religion, in the name of ideology, in the name of political ideology or in any other form of extremism.

This is what I have been seeing, whether it is in our country or the neighbouring country, I have also spoken against violence against minorities in Pakistan," Habib told ANI on Sunday.

So I am in favour of a stance where hatred and violence in the name of religion can be practiced in our country or elsewhere. "It should not be condemned, there are no ifs and buts.

In 1947, the country was divided in the name of religion

He further said that Bangladesh, which was built in the name of culture, civilisation and language, did not live with those "values". Hasina Sheikh destroyed the unity and integrity of the people of her own country. Which is sad.

People have indulged in violence in the name of religion, so Bangladesh's history for me is not what it has done now. In 1947, the country was divided in the name of religion and Pakistan was formed. Bangladesh was created because there were language, culture and all kinds of political issues with West Pakistan.

The religion was the same, but there were differences in many other matters and a new nation was formed. Now that new nation which was built in the name of culture, civilisation and language unfortunately did not live up to those values, he said.

Habib held the former Bangladesh prime minister "responsible" for everything happening in the country and said her rule was not good. If someone sees that violence based on religion, it is very sad. And I hold Sheikh Hasina responsible for this, everything happened because of her rule.

An interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus

The governance was not good and that is why these people got an opportunity. So it's very sad, he said. Violence against minority communities is on the rise in Bangladesh, with temples being destroyed following the arrest of former priest Chinmoy Krishna Das.

The student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power after weeks of protests and clashes that killed more than 600 people. Hasina, 76, fled to India on August 5 and an interim government was formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.