Watch our latest testimony on the persecution of the Ahmadiyya community in Bangladesh
Welcome to Season 2, Episode 1 of the SADF Podcast!
In this episode, we are honored to have Mr. Ahamad Tabshir Choudhury from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at of Bangladesh.
Mr. Choudhury delves into the rich history of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Bangladesh and sheds light on the severe challenges they face today.
Since the 1980s, the Ahmadiyya community has endured organized attacks, but the situation escalated dramatically after August 5, 2024. The community and their establishments were targeted across Bangladesh, resulting in the tragic death of a young man. Hate speech on social media and threats from right-wing religious political parties have become a daily reality for the Ahmadiyya Muslims. In a bid to ensure their safety, the community had to hold their annual Jalsa virtually for the first time in 50 years.
Mr. Choudhury also discusses the discrimination faced by the community, including the UN Fact Finding Mission’s request to meet at a distant location and the exclusion of community leaders from meeting Mr. Volker Turk, head of the UN OHCHR.
Join us as we explore these pressing issues and advocate for the human rights of Ahmadiyya Muslims in Bangladesh.
Hosted by: Tapas Kanti Baul, South Asia Democratic Forum (SADF)
Discover our Newsletter on First-hand accounts from minorities across South Asia — read here
Madalena Casaca
Madalena Casaca is SADF’s Editor and part-time Researcher for the Democracy Research Programme. Ms Casaca is a graduate in European Studies (graduated 2008) from the University of Lisbon, where she explored with high productivity not only European and Western Social Sciences but also African Studies, Russian Studies, and Anthropology. Ms Casaca also completed a yearly Documentary Programme in Prague in 2012/2013 and attended the Film School of the University of Wales in Newport in 2011/2012, where all the basics of visual communication were explored and developed. Less
A one-year investment was made in Moscow studying the Russian language, of which she holds the B2 degree. Madalena began a Master’s degree in World History at the Moscow State University, where she completed the first semester, receiving the highest marks in all courses. She had to return to Portugal for personal reasons and now raises her young daughters in Lisbon. She is transforming her Masters’ Diploma on World History into a non-academic book.