Kolkata: "We are safe, but in an undisclosed location". Most calls or messages to Awami League functionaries and supporters as well as minority community members in Bangladesh are now being met with this standard response, underscoring the spread and intensity of the violence that has gripped the country.
Such a style of communication is usually common among Bangladeshis living in exile.But, perhaps for the first time, people living within the country are opting for such a response. Most of these people have had to flee their homes in fear.
"It is a terrible situation. Every night we hear how Hindus, Awami League supporters and artists are being killed. We never thought a day would come when we would have to flee our homes and not be able to reveal where we are staying," said a Bangladeshi on condition of anonymity.
Many Awami League members and supporters are replying to messages with just a ‘namaste' and a plea for prayer. Some have switched off their phones and are checking messages only intermittently without sending any reply. This fear is particularly palpable among those members of the minority community who were till recently quite vocal on social media but are now jittery about sharing their views openly. Many are requesting that WhatsApp chat records be deleted. Others are responding with cryptic replies like "alive" and "safe but tense".
Responding to a message from TOI, a Bangladeshi Hindu, who has always spoken his mind, sent a one-liner: "In a safe location, but hearing a lot of news from friends".
Arif Prodipto Ali, a Chhatra League leader from Rangpur, has gone into hiding after narrowly escaping an attack in Alamnagar. "It is a very difficult situation here. Many of our leaders are either killed or abducted. I somehow managed to escape. My home was attacked and vandalized. Goons have taken over. Arson and killing have become the norm. Police are nowhere to be seen," he said. Director Shankha Dasgupta, one of the few who hasn't gone into hiding yet, said his progressive Muslim friends were doing everything to protect him and his family.
"Many of my friends are in hiding to save themselves. In some areas, minorities are being attacked by radicals while in other areas Muslim friends and neighbours are protecting them. In some areas temples are being destroyed by radicals while in others they are being safeguarded by Muslims. This situation is deeply unsettling. Some Hindu families I know were attacked and their houses set on fire," he said.
Dasgupta added it was now the responsibility of the administration to make them feel safe. "This country belongs to everyone. It is the duty of the law enforcement agencies to take down those breaking laws. As a country, we have to raise our voice against this," he added.