Last Updated:
Bangladesh minorities body calls for Minority Protection Law, National Minority Commission, and Ministry for Minorities amid rising violence and insecurity under Muhammad Yunus.
Protests broke out outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh. (Reuters)
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council on Saturday demanded Minority Protection Law and setting up a National Minority Commission and a Ministry for Minorities.
The organisation said persecution of minorities continues, as members of minority communities are being targeted, threatened, attacked, and abused — often labeled with political or other stigmatising tags—simply for voting for or against particular candidates or parties in local or national elections.
According to an official statement, a roundtable dialogue on “Human Rights of Minorities” was held in Dhaka. The meeting was chaired by Nirmal Rosario and moderated by Ranjan Karmakar.
It further said: “At the roundtable dialogue, a collective call was made for all political parties and alliances participating in the 13th National Parliamentary Election to announce election manifestos containing clear commitments to: enact a Minority Protection Law; establish a National Minority Commission and a Ministry for Minorities; ensure proper implementation of the Vested Property Return Act; guarantee proportional representation in government, parliament, representative bodies, the police, and the armed forces in line with population ratios.”
They also demanded reservation of 60 parliamentary seats for minorities through direct elections; protection of Debottar (religious endowment) property; enactment of an Anti-Discrimination Law; and ensuring proper implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord, the three Hill District Councils Acts, and the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regional Council Act.
Economist Debapriya Bhattacharya said: “People are anxious amid a pervasive climate of insecurity. They are unable to place trust or confidence in anyone, resulting in a visible decline in citizens’ interest in becoming voters.”
He further stated that a segment of citizens is being subjected to violence due to their religious identity. He expressed concern that divisive politics would weaken future development, peace, progress, the global economy, and independence and sovereignty.
Barrister Sara Hossain said: “Due to our silence, human rights are being violated across all sectors, and minorities are being persecuted in country after country.”
“The brutal attack on Dipu Das under the pretext of “hurting religious sentiments,” including torture and setting his body on fire to ensure his death, was not only inhumane but also a clear violation of human rights,” she added.
Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu man, was lynched over unfounded blasphemy allegations and set on fire.
According to the MEA, around 2,900 incidents of violence against minorities have been reported during the tenure of Bangladesh’s interim government.
Violent protests erupted in the neighbouring country following the death of July uprising organiser Sharif Osman Hadi in Singapore. Hadi, the convener of Inquilab Mancha, died while undergoing treatment after he was shot in the head in Dhaka on December 12.
Another Hindu man, Amrit Mandal, was lynched by a mob over allegations of extortion.
Bangladesh, currently governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is grappling with a volatile mix of high-stakes electoral preparation and a breakdown in law and order that has left minority communities in a state of high alarm.
December 27, 2025, 8:20 PM IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
