A Country of Sufi Type Islam

By Afzalur Rahman Khan, "A tendency to be criticized" - Weekly Blitz - Dhaka, Bangladesh
Thursday, April 10, 2008

Bangladesh Election Commission in a recent move are trying to incorporate some electoral rule where the contesting candidates shall be bared from starting election campaign after offering prayers in various holy shrines of saints, which has been in practice for past several decades.

It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh, being a country of Sufi type Islam, has placed holy shrines and spiritual leaders in extremely important positions in personal and national lives.

But, for some years, a number of radical Islamists forces, including some communist, leftists and atheists are constantly conspiring to move the nation to different direction and convert the moderate Sufi Muslims in to extremist and militant Muslims with the ulterior motive of giving Bangladesh a bad name of radical nation.

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Later a number of bombs were exploded in such holy places, one of which was also exploded at the Holy Shrine of Shahjalal, a famous Muslim saint in the Eastern part of the country.

British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury also fell victim of such attack and narrowly escaped dangerous plot of assassination.

Since such attack, various intelligence agencies are trying to identify the culprits behind such attack on a Bangladeshi born foreign envoy, who is not only working hard in further strengthening the existing relations between Dhaka and London, but also seen as a symbol of pride for the entire nation.

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From the recent moves of the Election Commission in stopping people from seeking divine blessings from the Saints and Shrines before running in any election, evidently proves that, such elements inside the EC are no better than those militants of JMB or radical Islamist groups.

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[Picture: "Nakshi Kantha", a traditional stitched quilt of Bengal. Photographer: Toufiq Parag. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh].