[Assam] he “other States”, read Assam is a target in ‘BENGALISING PLAN’ in which religion is being kept out for now and Assam knows very well where from most of the Muslim Bengali speakers have arrived in Assam and how.

[Bartta Bistar]

hanks to Dipa Das Munshi- an MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of West
Bengal State of India


http://www.bangladesh-web.com/view.php?hidDate=2006-08-30&hidType=OPT&hidRecord=0000000000000000125098

Tuesday August 29 2006 20:38:49 PM BDT


 <noazabd at gmail.com>

Zainal Abedin, Bangladeh <noazabd at gmail.com>



I have no room to convey my thanks and best wishes to Dipa Das Munshi, an
MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) of West Bengal State of India. She
through a letter written to the Chief Minister of West Bengal Buddhadeb
Bhattacharjee, not only uncovered the truth but also stood for humanity.

A copy of the letter was also sent to Indian Home Minister Sibraj Patil. In
her letter she narrated how Indian Bengali speaking Muslim nationals are
branded as Bangladeshi intruders who left West Bengal and reside in other
States to earn their livelihood. Then she mentioned a number of suggestions
how to save these ill-fated Bengali-speaking Indians from human miseries
caused by Indian law enforcers particularly Border Security Force
(Anandbazar Patrika, Calcutta, 5 August 2006).

Dipa Das Munshi says, many Indians from West Bengal went to other parts of
India in search of work, but local police often harass them branding and
suspecting them as Bangladeshis. This type of harassment increased after
serial bomb attacks on Mumbai commuter trains, she alleged. She said, these
Indians hailing from West Bengal, due to a number of reasons, do not have
their election identity cards or ration cards to prove their nationality.
They can show nothing to the police, except their nationality certificates
issued by their concerned 'Panchayet' in West Bengal. But the local police
administration, in most cases, does not consider these certificates
sufficient enough to accept them as Indian nationals.

Dipa Das suggested that the West Bengal Government should introduce 'labour
immigration card' or any other identity card like this, so that the Indians
of West Bengal can get rid of unnecessary police harassment and misery. She
suggested the West Bengal government to communicate the issue to the chief
ministers or the chief secretaries of those concerned States where sizeable
Bengalis reside .

The government and the nationalist journalists, intellectuals, academics of
Bangladesh for a long time continue their protest against the illegal and
inhuman attitude and atrocities of Indian government.

The Bengali speaking Muslims are victimised as Bangladeshi intruders in
so-called secular and non-communal India. They become the victims of 'push
in' to Bangladesh. Many affluent and aristocratic Muslim families, due to
the absence of justice and equal opportunities, lost everything and have
become marginalised economically over the years in India. Now they work as
mason, carpenter, porter, day-labourer, hawker, rickshaw-puller, tailor and
petty vendor.

Most of the Muslims engaged in such odd jobs are scattered throughout India
in search of work, as West Bengal itself has been marginalised economically.
Most of these Muslims live in the slums of the large cities and ports. These
Indian floating Muslims have-nots are Bangladeshis intruders to Indian
intelligence agencies, police, and even policymakers. These Indian Bengali
Muslims are caught in most inhuman manner from several parts of India and
accumulated in Indo-Bangladesh border and pushed to Bangladesh territory.

The BDR (Bangladesh Rifles) personnel for obvious reason, do not welcome the
Indian nationals to our territory and drive them away to 'no man's land' or
Indian territory. These unfortunate Indians that include children, women and
old, spend days under open sky amid rain, sun or storm. This human misery
continues for years. But neither UN nor UNHCR nor human rights commission
nor any NGO ever played minimum role to address the sorrows and sufferings
of these tortured Muslims who are driven almost daily.

It is the official responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to
raise the issue in all the international forums, including UNO. The UN may
consider deploying international observers or monitors in Indo-Bangladesh
border. They should interview even these ill-fated Muslims to which country
they belong to — India or Bangladesh. If such interview or interrogation can
prove that these Bengali speaking Muslims are Bangladeshis, Bangladesh
without hesitation should accept them and rehabilitate them in Bangladesh.
On the contrary if the result is opposite, India should stop this evil deed.


Let me convey my thanks again to Dipa Das Munshi for her just statement as
well comprehending a human tragedy of her country. She initiated the most
timely and courageous and human step by writing a letter to West Bengal
Chief Minister. Time will say what step the Indian government takes in
response her allegation . But the role that she played in ending the
miseries of the Indian Bengali Muslims is undoubtedly unprecedented,
commendable and praiseworthy. After this letter there remains no room for
Indian government to push the Indian nationals to Bangladesh.

Zainal Abedin, Bangladeh
E Mail : noazabd at gmail.com





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