Bangladesh: The Dawn of Islamism

2018, Society  -   16 Comments
9.07
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Ratings: 9.07/10 from 112 users.

The western world knows little of Bangladesh aside from its high rates of poverty, cheap textile labor, and catastrophic flooding. Perhaps few are aware that it's currently the site of great bloodshed incited by Islamic terrorists. "Bangladesh: The Dawn of Islamism" examines the reality of everyday life in the country and questions what the future might hold.

In this majority Muslim country, Hindus, atheists and other religious outsiders are forced to exist in anonymity. Their fears result from an uptick in violent executions at the hands of intolerant radicals. The victims are often those who are openly critical of this extremist violence and of the Muslim leadership they claim promotes it.

Constitutionally, the country proclaims a devotion to secularism, but the reality on the ground tells a different story. A father expresses his frustrations over the refusal of authorities to seek justice in his child's murder. The assistant to the Prime Minister places blame on the secularist bloggers who instigate their own demise by freely sharing their views. An instructor at a mosque bemoans the fact that Muslims are hastily accused of such violence when figures of different religious affiliations remain blameless for committing similar acts of intolerance.

The film's point of view is that the country's self-proclaimed secularist values are a sham, and that the government ultimately condones violent extremism through their inaction. Their reluctance is likely motivated by economics; any acknowledgement of these tensions could imperil their growth in investments and their foothold in the textile and garment industries.

One thing is clear. Bangladesh is undergoing a crisis of identity. The bloodshed is likely to continue until these issues are addressed and corrected in a firm and official capacity. Some argue that the country should be grounded in Islamic law to represent the majority. Others defend their right to practice any belief they chose, and worry that such a proclamation would place their freedoms and their lives at greater risk.

"Bangladesh: The Dawn of Islamism" outlines the troubled history of the country, and the long-standing disputes between the Islamist and secularist populations. This antagonistic relationship is quickly approaching its breaking point.

Directed by: Sandra Petersmann, Hans Christian Ostermann

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16 Comments / User Reviews

  1. anonymous

    What I saw in this documentary is true and I find it deeply concerning. One of my friend once said, she used to count of "burqa"-s whenever she went out in Dhaka. And while a few years back it was 30-40 percent, at the beginning of this year it was nearly 75-80%. If this continues, I fear, soon the secular government will be overthrown and it will become another failed state like **kistan. Another thing is their birth rate. Another friend of mine who was a medical practitioner in Bangladesh, said almost always they do not take any birth control measures, have a high number of children, even when some of them have western citizenship. If this is true, I wonder, what would happen to the western civilizations, if they become minority in their own country, and democratically the majority of the new pioneers of peace want Shariah law to be imposed upon them. Although, these people do not understand evolution, but I am afraid, that will be the end of human evolution and the beginning of the devolution.

  2. Denis M.

    Islam is not really a religion even if that is the general concensus, instead it is a fanatic and parasitic war cult and there is no doubt about that.

  3. Alliyah Brown

    What a propaganda piece of rubbish. 'Kill them cause their atheists!', absolute nonsense.

    1. Asma Sultana

      Are you from Mars?

  4. Malcolm Jackson

    Four more General Elections in the UK, and Labour's Muslim Block vote will ensure the UK become an Islamic State. Roughly about 2036.

  5. seguefisch

    This is very sad. When I was in Bangladesh, I had an experience of it being a very moderate family-oriented culture existing very far away from the heart of Islam. Extremists were not so common. I am very sad to hear what is happening, but I feel that it is the stress of poverty and the weakening of their democracy which is feeding this pain. And possibly there are interests external to the nation who have injected their will, fueling conflict. As all educated Indians know, it was Britain that exploited the differences between the two largest belief systems (Hindu and Muslim) in order to 'divide and conquer' a once very wealthy and prosperous region. It is also well-known that this policy led to genuine hatred between these groups, which led to the formation of Pakistan and Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) when Gandhi liberated India. I hope that Bangladesh finds the peace and harmony that they so desperately need.

  6. Oliver (Playtard)

    It's difficult to find compassion for those who believe in and trust lies. They will, deceive, inveigle, obfuscate anything towards their own ends. Whats worse is that they are programmed to hold said beliefs as more important than life itself. That is to say that they will bear death or manifest the death or suffering of others before they admit wrong - righting their wrongs would be an admittance of guilt and thus an offense to scripture - Mathew 12:31.

    However medically & scientifically speaking, it is not their fault.

    Religions are specifically designed this way. To, inspire, give hope and community regardless of socioeconomic status or psychopathology or environmental influence. Religions are -potentially- a great and most wonderful social power.

    Unfortunately, promulgating antiquated and antisocial values -ie: "communal hell ~ emotional/social violence"- are an intrinsic part of their beliefs. Values that have now not only protected themselves by law but as well avoid detection through, attempts at making them salient, potentially indicative of mental disorder in an individual.

    Religion is a good thing, for good people. Unfortunately, its narrative provides for many to abuse it, corrupt it and sully prosociality through, fallacy and manipulative intent.

    Proper checks and balances could save religion. However such self-maintenance winds up being counter-intuitive to its own ingroup mores.

    I could go on: Wealth hoarding, outgroup bigotry & isolation, all sorts of fallacies and distortions; sunk cost effect, appeal to tradition, black and white thinking etc etc.

    Anyways, I have religious friends. They don't force their beliefs on me in any way -ie: expectations- and we get along just fine. The principle of charity is an interesting experiment to run through such grievances ...and they think they're hard ;-p

    The fact of the matter is that I love and respect some religious people in my life and, will continue to do so. But, I've also been seriously hurt by them. Hurt in ways that are unnecessary and preventable.

    Education and philosophical free thought is my intent, not malice.

    1. Dwight Hayes

      Remember one thing, Christianity is unique to religion. Religion is used to control the population like the Philistine Kings did. And that Jesus said to his Disciples, "Ignorance is no excuse" so all those who you have refered to are Dead condemned souls. And those who lie to them to keep them ignorant are as he said also, "I pitty the man who misleads these children, for his Hell will be the worst".

    2. tom

      Well said.

    3. terry

      This applies to all religions! Where ignorance is bliss 'tis but folly to be wise.

    4. Asma Sultana

      Islam is not peaceful at all, by reading the Quran anyone could know! Islam is different than other religions, Islam can not be changed, altered or reformated!

  7. Devil Travels

    Religion thrives in areas of low education and poverty. In fact, religion enables and perpetuates such conditions as a survival tool.
    It's interesting that politics also finds the same conditions beneficial.
    So, it is no surprise Islam is thriving in Bangladesh where religion and politics are the same.

    1. Abdul

      What some of these Muslims are doing is totally against what Islam is all about...perhaps try to educate yourself about religions in general and Islam in particular before forming general opinions...the West tends to look at Islam from a perspective of Christianity which oppressed science for centuries in the name of faith until it was a force no more...Peace!

    2. Frank Martens

      Is this why evangelicism thrives in certain parts of the United States? :)

    3. terry

      Just observe Trump!!

    4. Asma Sultana

      Islam and Politics are two sides of a coin, not only in Bangladesh!