From June 3, 2012, Muslims in the Rakhaine state of Myanmar known as Rohingyas came under fresh attack by the local Buddhists. On that day, a group of Buddhists killed ten Muslims who were riding a bus. They beat the Muslims to death before setting the bus on fire. The incident was allegedly in response to the rape and murder of a Buddhist girl by three Muslim men, a few days before. It did not matter to the killers that the men accused of the rape had already been arrested and were in jail. Situation turned worse from June 8 as thousands of homes were burnt and looted and hundreds of Muslims were killed by combined operation of local Buddhists, police, border guard forces named ‘Nasaka' and para military forces called ‘Luntin'. More than 30,000 Muslims took shelter in the refugee camps in the state capital Sittwe. Myanmar government declared curfew which is only applicable to Muslims. According to local newspapers in Bangladesh, the combined forces have abducted more than five thousand women in last week. Government of Bangladesh has sealed the border with Myanmar as hundreds of Muslim women and children are trying to flee from rape and murder every day. Border guards of Bangladesh have pushed back boats carrying more than 1,500 refugees just in three days according to local newspapers.

Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Dipu Moni responded to the situation on June 14 in the national parliament. In the despicable statement she said, "Bangladesh is not bound by any international law to open its border for the Rohingyas, as there is no war-like situation in that country and that its government is not forcing its citizens out." She alleged that Rohingyas create problems for the environment, employment, law and order, politics as well as national security.

Of course Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Foreign Minister Dipu Moni can entertain foreign guests and delegates from USA, UK or India. They can have strategic dialogue with Hillary Clinton. They can allow US Special Forces to visit Bangladesh at their will. And also the government is ready to allow any US soldier to leave the country without facing any trial if he commits any crime here. Sheikh Hasina also can allow transit to India not caring for any national security, political, law and order or environmental damages. But when oppressed Muslims knock at their doors, they use force to push them back.

Over the last half century Muslims in Myanmar are being systematically oppressed, looted and persecuted by the government of Myanmar. From 7th century up to 1784, Arakan (called Rakhaine province under Myanmar now) was a Muslim state. In that year it was colonized by a Buddhist Burmese king. The British came in 1824 and ruled till 1948. According to 1948 Citizenship Law, Rohingyas were also made citizens of the country and a number of Rohingyas were elected to Burma parliament. But in 1962, General Ne Win, who took over power in a military coup, revoked Rohingyas' citizenship and made them stateless. They were considered as immigrants from Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). The army then subjected them to forced labour, expropriated their property and did extra judicial killing. They denied Rohingyas employment, access to education and trade, and also restricted their movement. Even their right to marry was subject to permission which had to be bought with high bribes from the authorities.

Like Muslims of Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other places, Muslims of Myanmar are oppressed in their own land. And the whole Muslim world is in reality stateless. Al-Tabarani and Al-Baihaqi reported that the Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

"The Sultan is the shade of Allah on earth".

Without Khaleefah, there is no authority, no state, no protection and no security for the Muslims. It is the duty of the Muslims of Bangladesh to embrace their brothers from Myanmar. Nu'man b. Bashir reported Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying:

"The similitude of believers in regard to their mutual love, affection, and fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever."

The duty of Bangladesh border guards is not to push back hungry, homeless and tortured Muslims. Prophet (SM) declared life, property and honour of Muslims as protected. It is the duty of the armed forces of Bangladesh to protect their Muslim brothers and sisters from Myanmar the way our Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) and Khaleefahs after him have sent forces to protect Muslims. We know that the current regime will never do that. So, it is upon us to remove the oppressive regime and establish Khilafah "Caliphate" which will liberate and protect the Muslims all over the world.

Mohammad Raiyan Hasan
Bangladesh