Conference on the Rise of Fundamentalism  in South Asia to be Held on 23 June

Brussels, 14 June (EBF/OurVoice) : Europe based diaspora organisation, European Bangladesh Forum (EBF) is going to organise an international conference on the ‘Rise of fundamentalism : implications, challenges and threats in South Asia & beyond’ at the European Press Club at Brussels on Sunday, 23 June.

The conference is being organised in collaboration with the Belgium-based Bangladeshi diaspora organisation, Global Solidarity for Peace and Switzerland-based International HR Commission Bangladesh, Switzerland. According to a press release issued by the organisers, rise of fundamentalism is a global phenomenon and it has no boundary. The objectives of the program among others are to explore what drives people to extremism, explore how ordinary people, civil society and policy makers can work together to fight this onslaught of evil and more importantly to build a network of secular activists across Europe to support the work in Bangladesh. It needs multi-level cooperation among civil societies and also at the government levels. There is an urgent need for effective engagement with the South Asian countries authorities concerned to combat fanatic indoctrination, terrorism and other forms of political and religious violence. Europe needs to understand that the rise of radicalisation and religiously-motivated violence is not a localized phenomenon in Bangladesh and in the South Asian countries, it has serious ramifications for Europe too. Many Bangladeshi youth diaspora including young girls in Europe especially in the UK are still being radicalised at an alarming rate.

Dr Tommaso Virgili, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, Germany, Professor Dr. Tazeen Murshid, Director, Development Research Cooperation, Brussels, Harry van Bommel, former Member of Parliament, Netherlands, Chris Blackburn, British Political Analyst, UK & recipient of ‘Friend of Bangladesh’ award, Niels van den Berge, former Member of Parliament, Netherlands and Pradip Kumar Dutta, Columnist, 1971 Genocide victim family member from Bangladesh, M M Murshed, Chairman of Global Solidarity for Peace, Belgium and Khalilur Rahman, President of International HR Commission Bangladesh, Switzerland are expected to address the conference. Ansar Ahmed Ullah, President of EBF UK will chair the program while Bikash Chowdhury, President of EBF, Netherlands will give the opening speech.

The Brussels Conference is expected to bring together different stakeholders including secular forces, European politicians, activists, think tank, senior researchers, university teachers, journalists and create strong public opinion in favour of secular forces and against the Islamist extremist groups. This will also strengthen European and global stake holders to address a phenomenon that is indeed and exchange good practices of prevention.