In Bangladesh, a popular slogan heard everywhere is “whatever your religious inclination, the festival is for everyone.” The people of Bangladesh observe this motto avidly, not just as a slogan. Despite being a Muslim majority country, the main festival of the Hindu community, Durga Puja, is celebrated in Bangladesh as one of the main festivals across the country. Most Muslim boys and girls celebrate the festival enthusiastically and, in the same spirit, the main festival of the Muslim community, Eid-ul-Fitr, is celebrated with gusto by boys and girls of the Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian communities. Christmas is also observed on  December 25 enthusiastically in Bangladesh, right from the British era to now, with entire cities decorated with lights and people celebrating.

Religious harmony is a long tradition of Bangladesh, as the majority Muslims of Bangladesh are culturally very liberal. That’s why Islamic fundamentalism has not taken root in Bangladesh. In fact, when fundamentalists tried to change the character of the country, they were overthrown by the government and the liberal people. Bangladesh is a religiously liberal coountry. It is also liberal in politics; the people are very argumentative and have no qualms about raising their voices against any kind of suppression. Therefore, no autocratic rule could gain a foothold on this soil. The people of Bangladesh have a long and glorious history for achieving democratic society and the rule of law.

That is why remarks made by US Senator Chuck Grassley, alleging religious persecution under an "autocratic regime" in Bangladesh, are shocking.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Washington said in a statement that the embassy is surprised to see that Senator Grassley had stated in his op-ed that citizens of Bangladesh live under an authoritarian regime and face persecution for faith and religious beliefs. Bangladesh is a secular democracy, where people from all faiths live in peace and harmony, the statement said.

Though created as a part of Pakistan, on the basis of religion, resistance against Pakistan started within four months of partition in 1947 and the fledgling movement of moderate young political workers snowballed under the leadership of the then student leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He initiated the establishment of a moderate and liberal political party, named Awami League, which made history and created an independent democratic country, breaking away from Pakistani cultural and political oppression. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the democratic icon of the world but, sadly, he was assassinated in a brutal military coup d’etat, after which military rulers established a kind of autocracy. But the people of the country resisted military rule and the Awami League was again in the front line. Sheikh Mujib’s daughter Sheikh Hasina took over the leadership of the Awami League and, under her leadership, the military leadership was overthrown by a mass uprising of the people.

Hasina, now in power for the last 11 years, is a preeminent Asian leader who has established liberal democracy, the rule of law, human rights, women’s empowerment, and freedom of speech in Bangladesh. She has empowered the country’s legal system to try war criminals and corrupt leaders. Immediately after the assassination of Sheikh Mujib, Bangladesh was ruled by the military rulers who assisted war criminals and corrupt people to become powerful. But now, they are in bad shape because of the rule of law, and they are blaming Bangladesh falsely.

They have been trying to confuse some important people and organizations supplying fake information regarding Bangladesh. The statement by Senator Grassley, alleging that Bangladesh is under authoritarian rule and is a place where people face persecution for their faith and religious beliefs is shocking and false.

There  is no incident in Bangladesh that can prove that any Bangladeshi has been persecuted by the government for his or her religious beliefs. Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy. When Senator Grassley released his written statement, the Bangladesh parliament session was ongoing. It appears that Senator Grassley was confused by fake information. It is hoped that he will retract his statement, which has caused hurt to the democratic people of this small country. A legislator from a large democracy cannot do this injustice to the democratic people of any democratic country.

(The writer is a Dhaka-based  senior journalist and author)