In its July 15 editorial, The Washington Post editorial comments that "Bangladesh, with its female prime minister, has generally been viewed as having...a moderate government." This comes as a bit of a surprise to those of us who follow Bangladesh politics in it civilian and military incarnations.
From independence on, the Bangladesh government and government-backed vigilantes have carried out military attacks against the non- Islamic minorities of the Chittagong Hill Tracts. Buddhist temples have been deliberately burned and monks targeted. A large number of people from the Hill Tracts have had to flee to northeast India, where they lead a fragile existence in camps. The land left vacant is then filled with landless farmers from the Bangladesh plains. Weapons are given out indiscriminately to the new settlers, some of whom have terrorized the indigenous population. Efforts are made to convert the Hill Tracts people to Islam.
Now Saudi money is reputedly being used in the plains to hire unemployed people to attack Taslima Nasrin. The current Bangladesh government is weak and unwilling to act in fear of losing Arab revenue, but weakness is not moderation.
RENE WADLOW.
Geneva.
