I’ve followed your comments and that “(PBUM)” stunt for a while now. We will not see eye to eye on religion or the religious except to agree on their hypocrisy. You’ve been warned .

My accusing finger (hardly an insinuation) was towards both those with tupis, long robes and long beards and those with ponytails, “1971″ t-shirts and long beards. I’m sure both communities have their fair share of Ramna visitors (I don’t have facts and figures).

My point was that everyone in Bangladesh has decided to discriminate against women. Some do it louder and harder than others, that’s the only difference.

~DS

Welcome to the blog. I am glad you find it interesting enough to revisit and indeed to participate! I used to update it a lot more regularly and cover a lot more ground. If you are interested in knowing more about Bangladesh, especially its politics, feel free to visit the fine blogs I’ve linked to on my blogroll. They’re all gems and no two alike.

Enjoy.

~DhakaShohor

So, instead of 7-8, make it 8-9 (And, there was a reference to “the 15 readers of this blog” in a post about the Daily Star. Perhaps that should now be 16.)

Rumi bhai, you’re right that Tabligh is, or at least was until a few years ago, a very non-political and peaceful movement. But its take on sexual matters, or gender issues, like its take on anything about modern life, is very simplistic and reactionary. Many Tablighi types would not even talk to their cousins of the opposite sex. Women in the workplace is very much discouraged. And I too speak from experience:
http://jrahman.wordpress.com/2006/08/31/100/#more-100.

The qaumi madrassah types also have simplistic and reactionary views on these matters. And unlike the Tablighis, the jihadi groups that have come out of the qaumi madrassah will not hesitate to use violence to enforce their views. This is probably the Baitul Mukarram crowd that we saw in April. The difference between Baitul Mukarram and Kakrail here is in action, not in thought.

Jamaat on the other hand take these issues seriously, and their study circles actually discuss issues like this. This is not to say that Jamaat’s views are even close to liberal-progressive ones. But you could actually talk to Jamaat leaders (not Syeedi) about a prostitution policy and what might or might not work. Jamaatis (of either gender – and yes, they do have relatively large number of female members) would not support the Swedish model, but they’ll give you a hearing. Kakrail-Baitul Mukarram crowd won’t even listen.

And of course, Jamaat is neither Kakrail nor Baitul Mukarram geographically, it is Mogh Bazaar.

Absolutely agreed about the difference between Jamaat and Tabligh. Things haven’t changed a lot over the last few years, but I’d say Kakrail mosque’s reputation as a tolerant place has taken a few hits. I don’t like bracketing all islamists together and avoid it as much as I can. I too make mistakes however. On this note, I would say that the only reason I lumped them together is that when it comes to the sexual double standard (aptly expressed in proverbs such as, “Cheleder noy guna maaf” or some variation), there is no perceptible difference between Jamaat and Tabligh. They too will blame the prostitute more than the politico.

Toker khatirey torko is more than welcome. Jhograita Bangali here.

Fariha,

No idea what happened to her, and I’d be very interested in finding out. If you have any info, do share. Good to have you back on this blog!

selling your soul to the devil must come at a price. the politicians sell their souls, and we shall pay the price.

btw, has anyone ever bothered to find out what happened to Nikita after the hype died?

I am not in Bangladesh for quite a while. So things may have changed over the last decade. When I was back home, the crowd in Baitul mukarram was critically different from the Kakrail Mosque crowd. kakrail mosque was the bastion of Tablig jamaat movement which is, in my POV, is one of the most non-violent, non-political, tolerant movements within Islam. I happen to have spent several 3 nights and one 40 night in ‘Chilla’ back in the early 80s and the routine was to spend time in mosque, discuss spiritual part of religion, go to the community and invite people of the same. There was absolutely nothing about politics, jehad, fight etc.
On the contrary, Baitul Mukarram has also a heterogenous crowd, most notable among them are jamaat and the Hafezzi Huzur led madrassa movement. These groups, as I saw from outside, have all the indignation of resorting to politics, imposing Sharia rule etc.

Even in recent years, I don’t recall the Tongi Boswa Ijtema ( worlds second largest annual Religious gathering) being used for any political purpose.

[ Just some torker khatire torko. ]