Chittagong (Bangladesh): Tens of thousands of Hindus gathered on Saturday in the centre of Chittagong, Bangladesh, for a massive demonstration seeking safety and equal rights as citizens of the nation in response to the continued attacks on the community.
Since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on August 5, numerous cases of persecution of members of minority populations, particularly Hindus, have been reported across 52 districts in Bangladesh.
Thousands of people gathered in the ancient Cheragi Pahar square in Chittagong to protest the violence against Hindus that has escalated since former PM Hasina’s departure to India. Some estimates have a turnout of over seven lakh.
Radicals are believed to have harmed hundreds of Hindus over the past few days by attacking their homes, places of business, and even temples.
The country’s interim administration, led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, was sworn in on Thursday, but it faces enormous challenges as a result of the ongoing unrest.
On Friday, Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad sent an ‘open letter’ to Yunus, expressing “profound sorrow and concern” over a particular group’s “unprecedented violence” against the minorities.
“We seek protection because our lives are in a disastrous state. We are staying up at night guarding our homes and religious places. I have never seen such incidents in my life. We demand that the government restore communal harmony in the country,” said Nirmal Rosario, the unity council president, ” The Daily Star said.
According to the letter, Bangladesh’s minority population is experiencing “widespread fear, anxiety, and uncertainty” as a result of the communal violence that started just after Hasina left Dhaka.
“According to organisational details and media reports, thousands of Hindu families have become destitute, and many temples have been attacked and burned. Numerous women have faced assaults, and there have been murders in several places. Other minorities have also suffered during this period,” the newspaper reported.
The Bangladesh Hindu Jagran Mancha is reportedly planning processions and rallies in opposition to the recent acts of vandalism, arson, looting, and attacks against the Hindu population throughout the nation, according to the Dhaka Tribune.
“During the rally, the Hindu community presented a four-point demand: the establishment of a ministry of minorities, the formation of a minority protection commission, the implementation of strict laws to prevent attacks against minorities, and the allocation of 10% of parliamentary seats for minorities,” the newspaper reported on Friday after a protest rally organised in Dhaka’s Shahbagh.
Several quarters are also criticising the interim government for excluding religious texts other than the Quran from its swearing-in ceremony on Thursday.
“The exclusion of readings from other religious texts contradicts our Constitution, the spirit of the Liberation War, and anti-discrimination values. We hope that in future state functions, readings from all major religious texts will be included,” Kajal Devnath, a unity council member, was quoted as saying by The Daily Star.
–IANS
