What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council said that 2,442 incidents of violence against religious and ethnic minorities have occurred in the country in a total of 11 months from August 4, 2024 to June 30 of this year. These violent incidents include murder, torture of women, rape and gang rape, vandalism of religious places of worship, arrest on charges of insulting religion, forcible occupation of houses and businesses, attacks on small communities, forced resignations, etc.
This information was given by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council at a press conference at the Abdus Salam Auditorium of the National Press Club on 10th of July, Thursday.
The organization said that the highest number of incidents of violence had occurred from August 4 to August 20 of last year with around 2010 incidents last year. 132 incidents of violence had occurred against Hindus from August 21 to December 31 of 2024. And from the beginning of this year to June 30, 258 more incidents of violence occurred. The victims of violence in these incidents were the beleaguered men, women and teenagers from minority communities.
It was said at the press conference that the aggressors are committing atrocities with impunity because the government is denying the communal violence with a political tag and not bringing the real criminals to justice.
Nirmal Rosario, one of the presidents of the Unity Council, said, “We see that the interim government’s reform activities are being planned and executed without considering the opinion of minorities. This is extremely disappointing for all the minority citizens of Bangladesh. We all want to walk together in the path of peace and prosperity. The interim government has formed many reform commissions with the goal of building a discrimination-free Bangladesh and their activities are ongoing. Already, full reports have been submitted by several reform commissions. The religious and ethnic minority communities had hoped that a separate minority commission would be formed to identify the ongoing discrimination and oppression against minorities and recommend appropriate steps to end it. But no separate commission was formed for religious and ethnic minorities. Most of these reform commissions have no representatives from religious and ethnic minorities. The minorities do not have any representation even in the Constitution Reform Commission.
He further said, ‘Even after sending several written proposals to the commission on behalf of the minority communities, they did not consider it necessary to discuss these issues. According to government statistics, the state reform process is in its final stage without taking into account the representation and participation of more than 10 percent of the religious and ethnic minority communities in Bangladesh. We protest against this process on behalf of the religious and ethnic minority communities. Through this, a new dimension has been added to the ongoing discrimination and oppression of minorities, rather than challenging it.’
Oikya Parishad Acting General Secretary Manindra Kumar Nath said, ‘In fact, the government is ignoring the incidents of oppression of religious minorities. We demand a fair trial of the incidents.’
Presidium members of Oikya Parishad Kajal Debnath, JL Bhowmik, Organizing Secretary Dipankar Ghosh, Executive Secretary General of Bangladesh Hindu Mahajot Palash Kanti Dey and others were present at the press conference.
