Minorities Under Siege in Bangladesh

Persecution of minorities in Bangladesh is not a new phenomenon. But after the expulsion and exile of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina the situation has turned from bad to worse. Religious minorities are facing genocidal attrition and inhuman treatment of loot plunder, rape and arson. This plunged Bangladesh into darkness, where rule of the law is missing and minorities are being trolled and persecuted for no fault of theirs. Bangladesh has been reduced to a theo- fascist state where co-existence and democracy are non –existent. Religious radicalism is the new law and constitution. In such a scenario, it is a far cry to witness sanity at any level of governance and administration. Now the arrest of the former priest of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON),Bangladesh, Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari has triggered country wide protests from the minority community. The unrest is at its peak. India has expressed deep concern about the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh who are facing the wrath of religious radicalism. India has asked Bangladesh to ensure safety and security of the religious minorities in Bangladesh. Hindus constitute nearly 8% of the 170 million population in Bangladesh. It is pertinent to mention that so far nearly 200 attacks have been faced by the minority Hindus in 50 districts after the forced exile and fall of the Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on 5th August this year. Chandan Kumar Dhar also known as Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari,a former priest of the ISKCON was arrested on 25th November at the Dhaka airport.Sedition charges were imposed on him and other 18 persons. His mobile phone was also taken over by the Bangladesh Government. After his arrest there are widespread protests going on in Bangladesh and this has led to international attention towards Bangladesh chaos. As the protests turned violent, it led to the killing of a lawyer in the port city of Chattogram. Minorities are on the roads protesting for deliverance of justice and safeguard of their human rights as they have lost the last residual of faith in the Bangladesh Government that has failed to uphold the human rights of the innocent minorities. It has not only turned mute spectator towards the genocide of the minorities but is complicit in the crimes against minorities that is being witnessed by the entire world on the social media and the newspapers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urged by the several political leaders in India to intervene in the matter that includes the leaders of the opposition as well. As the international pressure is mounting on Bangladesh to protect the human rights of the minorities, this has led to the rejection of a petition by the Bangladesh High Court seeking a ban on the ISKCON and its activities. The court has emphasised that the government must ensure law and order and protect the lives and property of the minorities in Bangladesh. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who is living in exile after being forced to step down has termed the arrest of the monk Chinmoy Krishna Das as “unjust arrest” and asked for his immediate release. She has also asked the Bangladesh Government to protect the religious and ethnic minorities who are braving violence since her ouster in August this year. Emphasising the need to save minorities in Bangladesh she has said in a post in the social networking site “X” that a top leader of the Sanatan Dharma community has been unjustly arrested, he must be released immediately. Temples have been burned in Chittagong. In the past, mosques, shrines, churches, monasteries and houses of the Ahmadiyya community have been attacked, vandalized, looted and set on fire. Religious freedom and security of life and property of people of all communities must be ensured. Now it has to be seen whether good sense prevails in the Bangladesh Government or not. It will be better if the right to life and limb of the minorities is protected .Otherwise it will lead to chain reaction of many sorts from various quarters and will derail the relations between India and Bangladesh as Bangladesh watchers in India are keeping a keen eye on the events that are unfolding there. Indian Government must assert and save the minorities in Bangladesh from state sponsored genocide. Prime Minister Narendra must take this issue with the Bangladesh authorities and save precious lives.