Washington D.C. (August 7, 2015) --Niloy Chatterjee, better
known as Niloy Neel, his pen name as an atheist blogger, was the latest victim
of religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh. Niloy gained notoriety in Bangladesh
as a secular activist of Hindu origin, who spoke out against religious
fundamentalism and demanded the death penalty for 1971 war crimes perpetrators. According
to media reports, Niloy was targeted for months by extremists claiming to be Al
Qaeda in South Asia, and was refused police protection.
He was attacked and murdered in his Dhaka residence on Thursday, August 6, 2015.
“Niloy Neel’s murder is emblematic of Bangladesh’s
current existential crisis,†said Samir Kalra, Esq., Senior Director and Human
Rights Fellow at the Hindu American Foundation (HAF). “The secular promise of Bangladesh’s
independence movement has dissipated into a distant dream for religious
minorities and atheists. Without strong government intervention, as well as
greater outcry from a broader cross-section of Bangladeshi society, the
persecution and targeting of religious minorities and atheists will continue
unabated.â€
Just last week, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) introduced H.Res. 396, a bipartisan resolution demanding
increased U.S. Government focus on mounting religious persecution in Bangladesh.
The resolution is the first to demand justice for the victims of mass violence
and atrocities committed during the 1971 Bangladesh
independence movement.
H.Res. 396 similarly brings attention to other atheist
bloggers previously murdered in Bangladesh,
specifically referencing US citizen Avijit Roy. According to HAF, these murders are
due in large part to a drastic rise in religious intolerance, as well as the
growing power of radical Islamist parties such asJamaat-e-Islami, and with its youth wing, Islami Chhatra
Shibir, who espouse a narrow sectarian agenda with limited rights for
minorities and atheists.
“We believe H.Res 396 is the appropriate legislative vehicle
to drive American policy makers’ attention towards the deteriorating situation
in Bangladesh,â€
said Jay Kansara, HAF Director of Government Relations. “This legislation sheds
light on the circumstances which led to Niloy Neel’s murder, while
simultaneously highlighting the systemic persecution of Hindus and other
religious minorities in Bangladesh.
There is genuine fear on the ground that extremists will succeed in their quest
to create an Islamic state in Bangladesh.â€
HAF leaders believe that H.Res 396 comprehensively addresses
the concerns of Bangladesh’s
religious minorities and atheists and implores the Government of Bangladesh to
protect the human rights and religious freedom of all its citizens. Hindu
Americans from across the country have been actively participating in a nationwide call-in campaign, urging their Members of
Congress to cosponsor the resolution.
Kalra added, “With this latest attack in Bangladesh,
Congressional support for H.Res. 396 is now more critical than ever.â€
