Published by Seth Oldmixon on January 7, 2020

FACT CHECK: No incident of minority repression during BNP rule?

Addressing a press conference at BNP headquarters, party leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that no repression of minorities took place when BNP was in power, and that, in fact, “minority’s interests were protected during BNP’s tenure.” However, the International Religious Freedom Report 2005, published by the U.S. Department of State, tells a different story….

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Published by Liberty South Asia on November 14, 2019

Remarks Delivered by Seth Oldmixon on November 13, 2019 Washington, DC

9/11 made al Qaeda a household name; and with it, an introduction for most Americans to radical Islamism – a totalitarian, theocratic ideology that demands global subservience to a cabal of religious clerics. With the rise of ISIS, most people began to understand that al Qaeda is not the only violent extremist group in operation….

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on October 1, 2019

Rohingya refugees pose a global humanitarian crisis. They may become a global security one.

The fifth largest city in Bangladesh is home to a million people – but no Bangladeshis live there. Spread out over almost 5 miles on the Southeast coast, the Kutupalong refugee camp is home to a growing population of Rohingya who fled a systematic campaign of genocide in neighboring Myanmar. While the plight of the…

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Published by Liberty South Asia on April 16, 2019

Bangladesh Information Minister: “We believe in secularism”

Dhaka — Bangladesh Information Minister Hasan Mahmud emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting religious freedom on Tuesday. Speaking to an international delegation of journalists, think tanks, and diplomats, the Information Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism and religious extremism. “We have zero tolerance for terrorism because we believe that terrorism is one of…

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Published by Liberty South Asia on November 30, 2018

Reps Banks, Gabbard Take Strong Stand In Defense of Religious Freedom In Bangladesh

A bi-partisan group of lawmakers has sent a strong message that Washington is closely watching developments on the ground in Bangladesh as the country prepares for national elections next month, and stands firmly in support of the rights and security of all citizens, regardless of their faith. Bangladesh is the world’s fourth-largest Muslim country. “When…

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on October 9, 2018

Can a political maverick free BNP from its ties to Jamaat-e-Islami?

Bangladesh’s upcoming elections could reshape the country for a generation Predicting election outcomes is difficult enough in data-rich and stable electorates like the United States. With very little reliable polling data, and a history of at least one military coup roughly every decade, analysts covering Bangladesh’s upcoming elections need to approach the exercise with humility…

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on August 9, 2018

Assam: Illegal Immigration and Communal Conspiracy Theories

A controversial “citizen’s registry” compiled in the northeast Indian state of Assam has created a stir in South Asia over concerns that Muslims are being targeted for deportation. Critics compare the move to the ethnic cleansing in Myanmar that has left 800,000 Rohingya Muslims living in refugee camps. Indian officials reject this claim, arguing that…

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on July 13, 2018

Critical Mass: Extremists don’t need a majority to fundamentally alter society

With national elections approaching in Pakistan and Bangladesh, there is a lot of talk about whether Islamist candidates stand a viable chance of winning. Typically, Islamist parties do not perform well in either country. In Pakistan, the Muttahida Majlis–e–Amal, a political alliance of Islamist groups, managed to win 53 National Assembly seats in 2002 during…

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on July 9, 2018

Jamaat-e-Islami Terror Camps in Bangladesh? New Book May Offer Fresh Insights

Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist group that seeks to transform the world into its imagining of a global Islamist theocracy, is best known for its attempts to exploit democractic norms to advance its agenda. The group, often compared to the Muslim Brotherhood, fields candidates in elections, raises funds through charity fronts, and openly supports international jihad alongside…

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Published by Seth Oldmixon on May 4, 2018

How Secularism Protects Religion and Culture

In a recent interview with the Economist, Pakistani politician Imran Khan expressed his support for women, like his wife, who choose to wear a veil that fully covers their face. “The amount of clothes a person wants to wear – how much they want to wear or how little they want to wear – is a…

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