What is Communalism??

There has been a lot of discussion, debate, and even war in our subcontinent about "communalism". Despite the fact that the culture, geography, human talent and honesty of Bangladesh are all conducive to progress, it is only because of this communalism that the world is lagging behind in the competition for progress.

"Communalism" is community-based thinking and action. Believe in the idea that the community I belong to is the best in the world and the worst of all communities. Then to conduct all my proceedings based on this belief. Since others are inferior, their rights are also minimal. I have the most rights in all social and political opportunities starting from wealth.

The ultimate form of this belief and activity is to sit on others. Either they belong to my community or they will be wiped out. The term "communalism" is often used in connection with religious beliefs. There are two communities based on religious beliefs, one is the believer who believes in the Creator and religious practices and the other is the atheist who does not believe in all this. Of course, there is a third community between the two who do not believe or disbelieve completely.

There are some more subdivisions in the Astik. For example, Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, etc. Therefore, even though they are people of the same blood and flesh, different people belong to different communities depending on their own knowledge, intellect, culture, family tradition, etc. Only children and the mentally handicapped cannot belong to a community because they do not have the power to make that decision.

So every healthy and adult person is communal in a sense, because the community he belongs to will be considered the best. Of course, there are some people in the world who change or pretend to believe in their own interests. The first part of the definition of the word "communalism" is to consider one's own community as the best. But the second part is to conduct all activities based on this belief, that is, to establish my superiority over others.

People want to live in a society where there are people of different faiths and communities. My belief is that even if it is the best, it is not muscle power, but I can propagate it to others with logic if needed.

The disease called "communalism" continues to attack us not only in religious beliefs, but in all other cases as well. As I have said before, every human being belongs to one community or another professionally, socially, culturally and politically. For example, ‘students’ are a community; On behalf of this community, an attempt was made to establish rights over the uneducated masses. There are conflicts between engineers and doctors. Conflicts between government administrative cadres and other cadres are a regular occurrence.

We have witnessed a golden age of secularism in Bangladesh in the war of liberation. People of all religions, all castes, all professions have united, fought and fought. At that time there was no religious discrimination and there was no irreligion. Never before has there been so much love and affection for one person over another. We wanted such communal harmony in post-war independent Bangladesh as well. If people of all professions and religions cannot work together, then the development of this country is not possible.