South Asian Civil Society Calls for United Fight Against FundamentalismCivil society leaders of South Asia began a two-day conference Friday calling for a united fight against growing acts of communalism and fundamentalism which they think hinder human development in the region.A good number of delegates from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and host Bangladesh, including former Speaker of Indian Parliament PA Sangma, former Speaker of Nepal Parliament Daman Dhungana, are attending the meeting held at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. The two-day South Asian conference, first of its kind, has been organized aiming to launch a common platform in the region to fight against communalism and fundamentalism. Prof Kabir Chowdhury, who is also the chairman of the Conference Preparatory Committee, said monsters of communalism and fundamentalism are threatening peace and progress. "They are out to grab political power by unconstitutional means and violence," he said calling for waging a united fight against the fanatics. Shamsur Rahman, co-chairperson of the committee, said no government or political party could alone uproot the evil forces of communalism and fundamentalism. "They need united support of the civil society for eliminating these forces which are obstacle to economic growth of the developing countries," she said, adding: "Our objective is to be on a common platform outside the politics of individual country as well as regional conflicts". In their country papers the South Asian intellectuals alarmed of the growing fundamentalism in their respective country and stressed the need for raising common voice against the tendencies of religious fundamentalism and communalism. They also called for creating a strong civil society to protect and strengthen people's rights, freedom, democracy and social justice. At the end of the conference, Dhaka Declaration will be adopted and a regional forum floated with the Civil Society members with the avowed aim of protecting peace, democracy, freedom and basic human rights. |
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