Report of US Commission: Religious freedom in Bangladesh lauded
Posted by: mugdho
on May 1, 2010 
Tagged in: Untagged
Bangladesh's achievements in religious freedom was commended in the latest report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The latest 11th annual report, formally released in Washington DC on Thursday, said the present Government is the most secular and favorably disposed toward minority rights and the parliamentary elections in 2008 has been free of any anti-minority violence.
It said inclusion of a visible number of members of minority communities in important political and administrative positions, government's persuasion to restore the original secular character of Bangladesh's constitution, initiative to repeal the Vested Property Act, diminishing trend of anti- Ahmadis violence due to improved and more vigorous police protection, functioning of the Independent Human Rights Commission are some of the hallmarks of the present democratic government in Bangladesh, a Bangladesh embassy release from Washington reached here said yesterday.
The report further acknowledges the fact that during the year under review, Bangladesh was generally free of religious violence. As regards recent incident in Chittagong Hill Tracts in February, it cites finding of the investigating committee that the conflict originated in a land dispute between two individuals which reinforces the fact that it had nothing to do with violence on ethnic minorities.
It contains performance of 28 countries during the period under review. The countries were placed under various ratings on the basis of its findings on "abuses of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief".
The report shows Bangladesh as continuing its present status "Additional Countries Closely Monitored" which represents the 3rd category of countries of which the Commission is least critical.
The report also made some specific recommendations for further improvement in some areas in Bangladesh, among other countries.
The USCIRF report placed Bangladesh on the Watch List from 2005 to 2008 due to anti-minority violence following parliamentary elections in 2001. As a recognition to significant improvement of the freedom of religious and ethnic minorities since the assumption of office of the present democratic government following elections in December, 2008.
Bangladesh was removed from the infamous Watch List in May, 2009. The Mission has been sensitizing the US authorities occasionally about the on-going steps taken by the Bangladesh government in this regard.
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission which makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress through its yearly reports which carries considerable importance for the US policy-makers.
The latest report is an acknowledgement of the fact that the present democratic government is making sincere efforts for further improvement of the religious and human rights conditions of all particularly of the minority communities.
The latest 11th annual report, formally released in Washington DC on Thursday, said the present Government is the most secular and favorably disposed toward minority rights and the parliamentary elections in 2008 has been free of any anti-minority violence.
It said inclusion of a visible number of members of minority communities in important political and administrative positions, government's persuasion to restore the original secular character of Bangladesh's constitution, initiative to repeal the Vested Property Act, diminishing trend of anti- Ahmadis violence due to improved and more vigorous police protection, functioning of the Independent Human Rights Commission are some of the hallmarks of the present democratic government in Bangladesh, a Bangladesh embassy release from Washington reached here said yesterday.
The report further acknowledges the fact that during the year under review, Bangladesh was generally free of religious violence. As regards recent incident in Chittagong Hill Tracts in February, it cites finding of the investigating committee that the conflict originated in a land dispute between two individuals which reinforces the fact that it had nothing to do with violence on ethnic minorities.
It contains performance of 28 countries during the period under review. The countries were placed under various ratings on the basis of its findings on "abuses of freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief".
The report shows Bangladesh as continuing its present status "Additional Countries Closely Monitored" which represents the 3rd category of countries of which the Commission is least critical.
The report also made some specific recommendations for further improvement in some areas in Bangladesh, among other countries.
The USCIRF report placed Bangladesh on the Watch List from 2005 to 2008 due to anti-minority violence following parliamentary elections in 2001. As a recognition to significant improvement of the freedom of religious and ethnic minorities since the assumption of office of the present democratic government following elections in December, 2008.
Bangladesh was removed from the infamous Watch List in May, 2009. The Mission has been sensitizing the US authorities occasionally about the on-going steps taken by the Bangladesh government in this regard.
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission which makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress through its yearly reports which carries considerable importance for the US policy-makers.
The latest report is an acknowledgement of the fact that the present democratic government is making sincere efforts for further improvement of the religious and human rights conditions of all particularly of the minority communities.
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