All kinds of people of the erstwhile East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) irrespective of caste, creed, religion or sex stood up conjointly from the inception of exploitation and oppression of the self-seeking ruling class of Pakistan which was established on the basis of the Two Nation Theory. The very harmful effect of the so-called Two Nation Theory was-division, disunity, malice, communalism and fanaticism. Bengali nationalism slowly and rapidly emerged against this reactionary stream. From the historic language movement of 1952 till the war of liberation of 1971 the united struggle of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christian gave rise to the unconquerable ideal of Bengal nationalism and ultimately out of the sacrifice of the lives of the 3 million people, Independent Sovereign Bangladesh was born. The basic consciousness of the liberation struggle manifested itself in the four fundamental principals of the state, namely, Nationalism, Secularism, Democracy and Socialism as laid down in the Constitution of 1972. The entire nation came to realise through the liberation struggle that is only the secular Bengali nationalism which could establish the national unity by binding the different religious communities with the bond of fraternity. Through the vicissitudes of the history, the reactionary clique comprising the anti-liberation forces has captured the state power and destroyed the ideals of the War of Liberation, the four state principles. Not only that, the communal, fanatic and fundamentalist forces, who were defeated and rejected in the liberation war, have been rehabilitated.

At last the ruling class of 1988 has illegally and unconstitutionally made ‘Islam’ the state religion by enacting the so-called 8th Amendment of the Constitution with a view to perpetuating its autocratic rule by using religion as a political weapon just like the Pakistan regime. By means of this sort of divisive activities, vicious move has been made to destroy the secular-Bengali nationalism, the basis of the Independent and Sovereign Bangladesh and also the various rights and the very existence of the religious minorities have jeopardised. The 20 percent people of the country, that is, two and a half crores of religious minorities have been driven towards an uncertain future. In all spheres of life including job opportunities, the religious minorities are facing intense discrimination and great deprivation. The tribal people have been deprived of their legitimate rights. As a result, all of them have been subjected to great sufferings leading to complete frustration in life.

On the other hand, under the cover of the 8th Amendment of the Constitution the communal, fanatic and the fundamentalist forces and the anti-social elements have created a chaotic situation in the different parts of the country by inflicting various kinds of oppression and torture upon the members of the minority communities, such as, snatching away their landed properties on the false plea of enemies (vested) property or by creating forged and fraudulent deeds, or setting fire to their houses or giving them threats for leaving the country. In different areas of the country inhabited by the minorities in substantial number, innumerable people have become the victim of harassment and thereby they have become very panicky.

It is, however, a matter of hope that the heroic Bengali nation, as in the past is again building up resistance against communalism, fundamentalism, fanaticism, oppression and tyranny. The intelligentsia as well as the conscious citizens of all classes of the entire country have already given a call to launch an united movement of active resistance against this anti-nation step of the autocratic Government.

BANGLADESH HINDU BOUDDHA CHRISTIAN OIKYA PARISHAD
(Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council)

Bangladesh Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad, the united association of the religious minorities of Bangladesh i. e. the Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, formed in May 1988 while the 8th Amendment Bill was placed before the Parliament, has registered a strong protest against the 8th amendment of the Constitution. They have raised the voice of demand that the unconstitutional provision as to the state religion which is violative of the fundamental principle of the Constitution of Bangladesh shall have to repealed. Bengali nationalism and secularism shall have to be re-established all activities of discrimination, disparity, arrests, torture and oppression on the member of the religious minorities shall have to be stopped.

* Repeal 5th and 8th Amendments of the Constitution-We don’t want a religious state, we want a secular state.

* We want the re-establishment of a secular and democratic state bereft of all disparities on the basis of Bengali Nationalism in the light of the four fundamental state principles which constitute the basic consciousness of the War of Liberation.

* We want equal rights in all spheres of life including defense, foreign affairs, government administration, government controlled institutions, state policy making bodies, industries and commerce.

* Fulfill all the legitimate demands of the aboriginal and tribal communities including preservation of their own culture and heritage and implement CHT peace Treaty.

* Implement vested property return act with the provision of inheritance.

* Resist communalism, fundamentalism and fanaticism-stop all kinds of religious discrimination, deprivation atrocities, persecution and harassment.

BANGLADESH HINDU-BOUDDHA-CHRISTIAN OIKYA PARISHAD CALLS UPON CITIZENS OF ALL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD TO COME FORWARD TO RENDER THEIR ASSISTANCE TO THIS DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENT FOR RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN BANGLADESH BY REPEAL OF ALL THE COMMUNITY-INSPIRED BLACK LAWS AND FOR REMOVAL OF ALL TYPES OF TORTURE, INJUSTICE AND DISCRIMINATION.