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VI. Recommendations

To the government of Bangladesh

  • Immediately rescind the ban on Ahmadiyya publications.
  • Investigate thoroughly and impartially attacks on the Ahmadiyya community, as well as other religious minorities, and prosecute the perpetrators and sponsors of such attacks to the fullest extent of the law.
  • Investigate fully the role of Islamist political parties and organizations in these attacks, and prosecute as appropriate the leaders and members of such organizations who may have incited, took part in, or were complicit in the planning or execution of attacks.
  • Promptly respond to and investigate all threats against Ahmadis and Ahmadiyya mosques, and provide police protection as needed to the threatened mosques of the Ahmadiyya community.
  • Ensure that minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture and to profess and practice their own religion.
  • Take prompt and appropriate administrative or legal action against any government official, including elected representatives and members of the state or local administration, who endorse, encourage, or otherwise promote discrimination against Ahmadis or any other group.
  • Allow unfettered access to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion in order that she may visit Bangladesh on terms consistent with her mandate with specific reference to the persecution of the Ahmadiyya community. Immediately provide the Rapporteur with specific dates when she may undertake the visit.
  • Combat religious discrimination and intolerance in public schools and madrassas.
  • Oppose blasphemy legislation. Adopt and implement measures to ensure the security of human rights defenders, journalists, and NGOs working in Bangladesh to promote human rights and non-discrimination.

To foreign governments:

  • Urge the government of Bangladesh to rescind the ban on Ahmadiyya publications and discourage it from resorting to bans on religious publications.
  • Urge the Bangladesh government to prosecute all those responsible for planning or executing attacks against the Ahmadiyya and other religious minorities.
  • Urge the Bangladesh government to immediately provide the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion firm dates to visit Bangladesh on terms consistent with her mandate with specific reference to the persecution of the Ahmadiyya community.
  • Support the adoption of preventative measures to ensure that violence against and intimidation and harassment of minorities is prevented. These measures may include monitoring of curricula in madrassas and mosques of all Muslim sects and the introduction of community education and awareness programs.

To international donors and lending institutions:

  • Ensure that anti-discrimination measures built into World Bank and Asian Development Bank-funded projects are thoroughly implemented in areas where there is any likelihood of religious discrimination. As part of their commitment to good governance, the World Bank and other international lending institutions should establish ongoing dialogue with NGOs at all stages of the decision-making process, including before a loan is released, while the project is being implemented, and in the course of any post-project evaluation.
  • Ensure that all social impact assessments prior to approval of projects investigate the effect of proposed policies and programs on political violence and religious discrimination. In consultation with NGOs, explore ways in which programs could help address these problems.
  • Support the adoption of preventative measures addressing violence against and intimidation and harassment of minorities. These measures may include the monitoring of curricula in madrassas and mosques of all Muslim sects to ward against hate speech and the introduction of community education and awareness programs.


<<previous  |  index  |  next>>June 2005