A matter of equality
Humanity has progressed to a stage where equality is a barometer of civilization.
Can Bangladesh remain secular?
For generations Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and other religious followers as well as, dare I say, agnostics and atheists had been living together in India in relative harmony and without major conflicts, until the creation of Pakistan in 1947 (and thence Bangladesh in 1971). The very essence of Pakistan, within the realm of Two Nation Theory (TNT), sowed the seed of communal disharmony which was nurtured and encouraged, since then, by vested interests. These antagonistic feelings later grew into full-blown animosity between Hindus and Muslims. Once communalism took roots, various other sectarian and partisan feelings and dissensions manifested themselves in various forms – Punjabis were pitted against Bengalis and vice versa, Bengalis against non-Bengalis, Sunnis opposed Shias, mullahs against rationalists etc. Fragmentation of the newly created State, which came into being on the back of communalism, became almost an inevitability.
The Hague Freedom Book Fair 2018
The Freedom Book Fair, 21 - 25 February 2018, is a five-day event centred on freedom of expression and is much more than just a book fair. There will be various activities over the course of the five days, such as book presentations, cultural evenings, movie screenings and panel discussions. The Book Fair is a place where writers, journalists, human right activists, artists and civilians from all over the world can discuss, connect, debate, initiate a dialogue, celebrate their work and raise awareness for their cause. This year the Book Fair will have contributions from the following countries: Sudan, Iran, Syria, Somalia, Turkey, Bangladesh and African Great Lakes Region (Burundi, DRC, Rwanda and Uganda).