A Professor from Germany who spoke the truth in a land of Islamists - Part 2

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The Bengali daily Janakantha http://www.dailyjanakantha.com/ of October 15, 2004 published a cover story on the fallout of Professor Hans Kippenberg's scholarly paper presented at the recently concluded seminar on religious militancy held in Dhaka , Bangladesh . The focus of the German professor's paper was very relevant to the main subject of the conference. In his paper, Professor Kippenberg attempted to assess the root cause of Islamic militancy. He wanted to show there could be Islamic theological codification behind Jihadi aspiration of militant Muslims. As expected, his speech was not welcomed by Bangladeshi Islamists. For a typical Islamist, any sort of critical inquiry of their so-called peaceful religion is prohibited. To them, a critic of Islam has no right to live. They know that threat, coercion and intimidation were the main factors that kept  Islam a primitive religious practice for thousands of years. They are well aware of this historical reason, which prevented Islam from metamorphosing into a tolerant religion. They want to keep the status quo intact. I am giving the literal translation of the Janakantha cover story. 

Janakantha / October 15, 2004 

Islamic Constitution Movement: Arrest Researcher Professor Hans; otherwise the German embassy would be blockaded. 

Staff Reporter:  The Islamic Constitution Movement demanded the exemplary punishment of German researcher Professor Hans and the officials of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) immediately. A central leader of the Islamic Constitution Movement, Professor Syed Belayet Hossain said, "If Hans and BIISS officials are not arrested, the German embassy would be blockaded. 

Speaking at a discussion forum at the Islamic Constitution Complex on Thursday Professor Syed Belayet Hossain declared the blockade plan of the German embassy. The discussion program was presided by the Dhaka City Secretary of the Islamic Constitution Movement, Rashid Ahmed Ferdous. A few of the other speakers included Maulana Syed Mosaddeq Billah, Mufti Noor Hossain Noorani, and A.S.M. Saiful Islam,the director of Ahban Industrial Conglomerate. 

Professor Syed Belayet Hossain said, "The German Professor Hans's speech is unpardonable as he made taunting and derogatory remarks about the peaceful religion Islam and pioneer of peace Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him)". Professor Hossain declared, "Because of Hans speech, if the coalition government does not punish him exemplarily, then the devotee people would surround the German embassy". He urged the government and their Islamic coaltion partners to take constructive steps against those who were conspiring against Islam and Muslims.