On Tuesday 10 December, as we went to press, Hindus in the UK gathered at Parliament Square with posters, banners and placards, shouting “we want justice” as they protested against the treatment of the community in Bangladesh, and demanding the release of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu of ISKCON.
Marking Human Rights Day, this was their effort to stand in solidarity, advocating the fundamental rights of minorities globally, demanding end of violence and discrimination in Bangladesh against Hindus.
At the same time, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has conveyed New Delhi’s concerns about the safety of religious minorities in Bangladesh to Mohammad Jashim Uddin, his counterpart in the country, said the Ministry of External Affairs.
Misri arrived in Dhaka earlier in the day, marking the first high-level diplomatic meeting between India and Bangladesh after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government in August. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was instated in Bangladesh following the collapse of the Hasina-led government. Misri also met Yunus.
The diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Dhaka have been strained since Hasina fled to India, following which incidents of violence against religious minorities were reported in several parts of Bangladesh.
Tensions escalated in the past few weeks after three Hindu monks were arrested on charges of sedition and several Hindu temples came under attack.
Idols burnt in temple attack
Amid reports of escalating violence against religious minorities and their places of worship in Bangladesh, another Hindu temple was allegedly set on fire in the outskirts of Dhaka. The Mahabhagya Lakshminarayan Mandir, at Dhor village, in North of Dhaka came under attack in the latest incident.
Babul Ghosh, supervisor of the temple said that a complaint has been filed against unidentified miscreants for burning down his ancestral temple. Ghosh said that the attackers poured petrol on the idols while he was not present at the house and ran away on hearing his footsteps. He alleged that the attackers had some 'ulterior motives' other than burning the idols.
Clarifying the name of his temple, Ghosh said that Iskcon temple is right opposite to them and their temple is different and was maintained by his family.
Meanwhile, Radharaman Das, Vice President of Iskcon Kolkata, said, "the head of the interim government of Bangladesh recently held a meeting with leaders of religious minorities. We had hoped the situation would change after that, but what we are seeing is something entirely different. I am regularly receiving threatening videos with ultimatums to ban Iskcon in the country, or they will kill Iskcon devotees," he added.
Arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Krishna Das in Chittagong on October 25 on sedition charges led to heavy protests. India had noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Chinmoy Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote.
US advice to Dhaka
Bangladesh must ensure legal representation for all detainees in keeping with basic human rights principles, a US state department spokesperson said in Washington, hours after Chinmoy Das' bail hearing in a Chattogram court was adjourned by a month as he didn't have counsel.
Meanwhile, leaders of minority religious groups in Bangladesh have told Muhammad Yunus that “Obtaining bail is the right of all individuals,” Father Albert Rosario of St Mary’s Cathedral said after attending a dialogue hosted by Yunus with leaders of major faiths. Noted Bangladeshi writer Farhad Mazhar also underscored the importance of Das’s right to bail.
At the meet, Sukomal Barua, chief adviser to the Bangladesh Buddhist Federation, proposed hosting an international conference to showcase the nation’s commitment to peace and unity. Abinash Mitra, assistant secretary (religion) of Ramna Harichand Temple, said the Hindu community put forth its grievances and Yunus gave a patient hearing.
Dhaka confirms 88 incidents of violence
Bangladesh confirmed 88 incidents of communal violence against minorities, mostly Hindus, following the removal Sheikh Hasina in August. Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam stated that 70 individuals have been arrested in connection with these incidents. The announcement came a day after Misri highlighted “regrettable incidents” of attacks on minorities and expressed India’s concerns regarding their safety and welfare during meetings with Bangladeshi officials.
