Activists, journalists highlight struggle of Hindus, other minorities in Bangladesh

Bangladeshi journalist and editor of daily Amar Habiganj Sushant Das Gupta on Monday expressed serious concern over the situation of minorities in Bangladesh, citing “increasing relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh”.

Addressing a joint press conference in the national capital, Gupta said the Bangladesh government has acknowledged that there have been several incidents of violence against minorities.

“The current government of Bangladesh has admitted that there have been 80 incidents of violence against minorities, and if nothing was happening, why would they accept it?” he/she asked.

A press conference was held in the national capital on Monday to draw attention to the situation of Hindus, indigenous people and tribal communities in Bangladesh.

The program focused on the challenges faced by these groups under the current government.

The press conference highlighted the “increasing religious intolerance and violence” faced by religious minorities and indigenous populations in Bangladesh.

Gupta stressed the need for efforts to raise awareness.

“This is our second campaign, which started at the UN Minority Forum. We will continue to take further steps. “It is not only Hindus who are suffering, but minorities of other religions, including Christians, are also suffering,” he/she said.

he/she also expressed concern over recent developments in Bangladesh’s foreign relations, particularly the growing alliance between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“The concept of visa-free entry for Pakistanis never existed in the history of Bangladesh, yet it was introduced after August. Additionally, actions such as providing training by Pakistani military personnel in Bangladesh are extremely worrying.”

Gupta alleged that the current government was working “outside the limits of the country’s Constitution”.

US-based journalist and human rights advocate Sitangshu Guha said that the Indian government should support minorities in Bangladesh, especially Hindus, and also called for global intervention. he/she suggested creating autonomous regions in Hindu-majority areas in Bangladesh and urged India and UN members to impose sanctions on Bangladesh.

Guha described the situation as a “struggle for fundamental rights and dignity” and said that the size of the Hindu population in Bangladesh was declining.

Pushpita Gupta, president of Secular Bangladesh Movement, UK, claimed that there is not enough support for religious minorities in Bangladesh and temples are not being built.

he/she cited a book and talked about the “dire condition of Hindus” in the country. She also shared the tragic experience of a Dhaka University student who had to flee the country just before her exams due to threats of attack and rape.

Canada-based Arun K Dutta shared a personal account of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, during which his/her family and many others faced atrocities by the Pakistani army.

“Our houses were burnt down in 1971, and I was forced to live in a refugee camp in India. Every Hindu family was affected by the violence. There is no official record of the land we lost, and we are still struggling to reclaim it. There is no accurate record of how many people died during the 1971 conflict. Even the country’s leader at that time, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, showed no concern for our suffering… This pain has been troubling us for decades, and we are suffering the consequences of those tragic events,” he/she Said.

Speakers at the press conference sought to raise international awareness of “human rights violations” and called for immediate action to deal with the situation in Bangladesh.