Dhaka, July 24 (IANS) Bangladesh has projected itself as a nation founded on the principles of linguistic identity, secularism and democratic pluralism. Born out of the Liberation War of 1971, the country’s Constitution envisioned equal rights for all irrespective of religion. Yet, the reality is much more complex. The suspension of the proposed 82-foot Lord Ram statue at a temple complex in Palashbari, Gaibandha, has renewed concerns among Bangladesh’s Hindu community regarding the security o…
Latest religious freedom News & Updates
Washington, June 27 (IANS) A presidential commission on religious liberty has recommended repealing the Johnson Amendment, reviving a long-standing conservative effort to remove restrictions on political activity by religious organisations while proposing broader legal protections for Americans exercising their faith.The recommendation is among 12 proposals presented to President Donald Trump on Friday by the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty following seven months of hearings involvi…
Washington, June 27 (IANS) US President Donald Trump received a report from the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty, with members urging his administration to strengthen protections for religious expression, combat anti-Semitism and roll back policies they said have undermined the free exercise of faith in the United States. Receiving the report at the White House, Trump said the commission’s recommendations would be studied closely and pledged that his administration would continue to …
New Delhi, June 24 (IANS) Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind national president Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, while addressing the Uttarakhhand state executive meeting in Haridwar’s Piran Kaliyar area, made strong remarks on social harmony, democratic values, religious freedom, and issues of national importance.The meeting was attended by a large gathering of ulema, huffaz, and members of the Muslim community.During his address as the chief guest, Maulana Syed Arshad Madani said, “In 1803, when our country w…
New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Malik Motasim Khan, on Tuesday said that the decision of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to launch a nationwide movement against “social and political marginalisation of Muslims and the demolition of mosques and madrasas” will also include Hindus.Speaking to IANS, Malik Motasim Khan said, “The Muslim Personal Law Board is an important institution. Even if they had not made this announcement, this work still ha…
London, May 26 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation on Tuesday strongly condemned the desecration of the Ahmadiyya place of worship by local authorities and the assault on an Ahmadi individual in Pakistan’s Sindh province, warning that the targeting of Ahmadiyya worship sites under extremist pressure reflects deepening intolerance in the country.Expressing grave concern, the UK-based International Human Rights Committee (IHRC) states that the incident is part of a continuing …
Paris, May 25 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation on Monday strongly condemned the alarming and systematic wave of violence against religious and ethnic minorities, including indigenous communities, in Bangladesh between January and April.Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) cited reports by the Human Rights Congress for Bangladesh Minorities (HRCBM), which documented a total of 505 incidents across 62 districts spanning all 8 divisions of the country –exposing a deep…
Paris, May 19 (IANS) A leading international human rights organisation has strongly condemned the brutal attack on devotees and the vandalism of a shrine in Bangladesh, warning that the failure of authorities to prevent such violence and hold those responsible accountable is emboldening extremist groups.Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) said that the attack on devotees at the shrine of Hazrat Shah Ali Baghdadi in Dhaka, along with the violent assault on devotees attending a peaceful wee…
New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgment in the long-pending Sabarimala reference matter after concluding extensive hearings on a batch of petitions raising significant constitutional questions relating to religious freedom, denominational rights and the scope of judicial review over matters of faith. A nine-member Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, and comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah,…
Islamabad, May 5 (IANS) Even though the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently urged the US government to redesignate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), the persecution of Christians continues to rise in Pakistan, demonstrating the urgent need for an international response, a report has highlighted. Extremist groups in Pakistan have been attacking not only places of worship but entire communities, Mission Network News stated.”They [extremists] will att…