Amid rising atrocities on religious minorities, Bangladesh Hindus appeal to the Indian government to open its borders and grant them safe entry.
Hindus in Bangladesh have appealed to India to open its borders and grant them safe entry, to protect themselves from religious persecution. The kind of public support witnessed on the return of hardline Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh after 18 years has created an atmosphere of intense fear among minorities.
Following the death of Bangladeshi student leader Sharif Usman Hadi, violence has been escalating day by day. Violent mobs have brutally murdered two Hindu youths, Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal. Along with this, numerous incidents of arson and physical assault against Hindus are taking place across the country.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ chief spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, informed a press briefing that around 2,900 incidents targeting Hindus and other minorities have occurred in Bangladesh in recent times.
“We are living in humiliation”: Bangladeshi Hindus
An elderly man from Rangpur said that because of their religious faith, they are repeatedly subjected to humiliation. Earlier, they had to endure taunts while walking on the streets; now those taunts have turned into attacks.
“We are trapped here and see no way out. What happened to Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal could happen to us as well. Out of this fear, we are living a life of humiliation,” he said.
BNP an anti-minority party
The elderly man further stated that today they are completely helpless. They feel like fleeing to India, but the borders are heavily guarded. If BNP’s Tarique Rahman comes to power in the elections scheduled for February, the situation could worsen further, as BNP is a party opposed to minorities.
A resident of Dhaka said that fear had already spread even before the murder of Dipu Chandra Das, and if former President Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, comes to power, the situation would become extremely alarming. “If BNP comes to power, we may have to endure even greater atrocities. Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League was our only shield,” he said.
“Hindu organisations in India are only talking, not acting”: Sanatan Jagran Manch
An activist of the Sanatan Jagran Manch said that there are 25 million Hindus in Bangladesh; this is not a small number. Hindu organisations in India are limiting themselves to words alone. “We are on the brink of a major catastrophe,” he warned.
