|
401 Ninth Street NW,
Suite 640
Washington, DC 20004
202 430 1888
June 29, 2015
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
Prime Minister’s Office
Old Sangsad Bhaban, Tejgaon,
Dhaka-1215, Bangladesh
Ambassador Mohammad Ziauddin
3510 International Drive, NW
Washington, DC 20008, USA
Dear Prime Minister Hasina and Ambassador Ziauddin:
 
We at the Secular Policy Institute, together with the below signed member organizations below, are deeply saddened by the recent wave of violence in your country toward those who have written blogs critical of religion.  The world has taken notice of these murders and as a leading, global voice in the secular world, we would like to arrange a meeting with Ambassador Ziauddin to establish a dialogue regarding the pursuit and fair prosecution of those involved in the attacks against people placed on the kill list of terrorist Ansarullah Bangla.
 
As an advocacy organization in support of a more rational and secular world, we find Sheikh MujiburÔÇÖs implementation of a secular Bangladesh, its 2010 reestablishment by the High Court, and further development by the Awami League as led by the Honorable Sheikh Hasina, to be beacons of light for those in the process of secularization. Despite these advances, however, new challenges face these secular pursuits. Democracy requires the protection of political speech and discussion. This includes the right to question the role of religion in public policy and decision making. The Honorable Prime Minister has carried her fatherÔÇÖs torch forward in advancing secularism and human rights. Both BangladeshÔÇÖs bold ÔÇ£Vision 2021ÔÇØ and ÔÇ£Digital BangladeshÔÇØ represent progressive steps in this direction. But the realization of these visions and initiatives will require ongoing efforts to promote a more reasoned and rational society.
 
In support of this goal, we seek to establish a constructive dialog to bring justice to those non-violent writers who were murdered for the expression of their beliefs, and to assist in addressing those policies and processes that constrain Bangladesh in its efforts to become a flourishing secular democracy by its Golden Jubilee Deadline.
 
Sincerely,
Edwina Rogers |
