IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 160 

Expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy and human rights 

by theocratic groups operating in South Asia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 28, 2019 

Mr. BANKS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing concern about the threat posed to democracy 

and human rights by theocratic groups operating in 

South Asia. 

Whereas Bangladesh achieved independence in 1971 and established a secular democratic state, which is home to 

over 163 million Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, 

and atheists; 

Whereas this freedom was won at the cost of approximately 

3,000,000 deaths, more than 10,000,000 displaced, and 

200,000 women raped, many at the hands of Islamist 

militants led by Jamaat-e-Islami; 

Whereas Bangladesh plays a critical role in the safe and voluntary repatriation of over 800,000 Rohingya Muslims 

who have taken refuge in Bangladesh from religious and 

political persecution in Myanmar; 


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•HRES 160 IH 

Whereas religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists, 

Christians, and Ahamadi Muslims, have been attacked by 

Jamaat-e-Islami, and their subsidiary Islami Chhatra 

Shibir, as a result of which hundreds of homes have been 

damaged, shops damaged or looted, and temples vandalized; 

Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami applauded the assassination of 

Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer for defending the 

rights of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy in Pakistan; 

Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami led funeral prayers for the terrorist 

who assassinated Salmaan Taseer, during which they 

prayed for the strength and power to enforce Shariah 

throughout the world; 

Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami has refused to accept the acquittal 

of Asia Bibi on blasphemy charges and worked to prevent 

her from leaving Pakistan where she faces mortal danger; 

Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami members have been linked with alQaida and the Taliban; 

Whereas Jamaat-e-Islami and affiliated theocratic extremist 

groups pose an immediate and ongoing threat to stability 

and secular democracy in South Asia, leaving religious 

minorities at grave risk of continuing violence; 

Whereas the European Parliament adopted a resolution urging the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to unequivocally 

distance itself from Jamaat-e-Islami; 

Whereas respected Bangladeshi jurist and political opposition 

leader Kamal Hossain has publicly called for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to sever its ties with Jamaate-Islami; 


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•HRES 160 IH 

Whereas various organizations in the United States that receive Federal funds, such as the Islamic Circle of North 

America, share leadership and are openly affiliated with 

Jamaat-e-Islami; 

Whereas Helping Hand for Relief and Development, a registered charitable organization in the United States, 

openly partnered in 2017 with Pakistan’s Falah-eInsaniat Foundation, which the United States Government designated as a terrorist organization in 2016; 

Whereas repeated attacks on religious minorities, expanding 

religious extremism, and growing destabilization caused 

by radical groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates, undermine United States economic and strategic 

interests in Bangladesh; and 

Whereas there is a growing trend of Islamic extremism in 

South Asia tied to pro-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 

activity, with several arrests of Islamists linked with the 

terrorist group made in recent years: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses its sense that the United States 

3 should more actively engage with the Government of 

4 Bangladesh regarding shared interests in safe5 guarding human rights, religious freedom, and sec6 ular democracy in Bangladesh, while preventing the 

7 growth of religious extremism and militancy; 

8 (2) calls on the Governments of Bangladesh 

9 and Pakistan to deny, disrupt, and dismantle the 

10 ability of Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates to conVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:35 Feb 28, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HR160.IH HR160

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•HRES 160 IH 

1 tinue posing an immediate and ongoing threat to re2 ligious freedom and regional stability; 

3 (3) urges the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and 

4 all political parties to unequivocally distance them5 selves from Jamaat-e-Islami and other extremist or6 ganizations; 

7 (4) calls on the United States Agency for Inter8 national Development, the Department of State, the 

9 Department of Homeland Security, and other rel10 evant agencies, to halt all partnerships and funding 

11 arrangements with groups affiliated with Jamaat-e12 Islami and its domestic affiliates, including the Is13 lamic Circle of North America, ICNA Relief, Help14 ing Hand for Relief and Development, and the Mus15 lim Ummah of North America; and 

16 (5) calls on law enforcement to investigate the 

17 activities of Helping Hand for Relief and Develop18 ment in Pakistan and Kashmir, including reported 

19 collaboration with components of the Pakistani ter20 rorist network, Lashkar-e-Taiba. 

Æ 


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