New Delhi: The Sanatan Jagran Mancha, a platform for Hindus in Bangladesh, Friday voiced an urgent call for justice and protection of minority rights. At a rally in Chattogram’s Laldighi area, the mancha presented its eight-point demands, including the establishment of a ministry of minority affairs and the enactment of a minority protection Act.
The minority communities in Bangladesh have faced attacks after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government on 5 August this year following months-long protests against the government’s high-handedness.
The Friday rally attracted a significant turnout, with thousands of participants from various upazilas and wards in Chattogram and neighbouring districts joining it.
Sanatan Jagran Mancha spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari has warned that if Hindus are forced out of the country, “Bangladesh will become a sanctuary of communalism, as Afghanistan or Syria”, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Speaking to ThePrint, Jewel Aich Arko, the coordinator of the Sanatan Jagaran Mancha in Chattogram, explained the motivation behind the rally by saying, “We did this rally for our demands and to show unity among our brothers. We are not going to bow down until our demands are met.”
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Attacks post-5 August
On the movement, Arka said, “This movement came into being post-Sheikh Hasina’s ouster from the country on 5 August.”
He said that following attacks on Hindus, grassroots groups began collaborating across Chattogram and Rangpur, meeting in temples to determine a unified response.
“We do not have words for what happened. Many people were killed while others tried to flee by crossing the borders. It was then that we decided that this could not go on. The Hindus who are left behind need to be protected,” Arko said, referring to the formation of the mancha.
The platform has been protesting for over two months, demanding justice for attacks on Hindus following the 5 August fall of the Awami League government.
There were several politically-motivated attacks and other acts of violence post-5 August. Activists, according to local reports, say between 1,000 and 2,000 incidents had occurred by September. Of those, fewer than 600 lacked any political motives. Bangladesh Police have noted 35 incidents in October, particularly surrounding Durga Puja.
Justice for minority communities remains a pressing issue, as highlighted by the mancha’s demands.
The demands include forming a speedy tribunal to address atrocities against minorities, adequate compensation and rehabilitation for victims, and a law to protect endowed properties taken away after 1971.
Other demands are upgrading Hindu welfare trusts and similar trusts for Buddhists and Christians to foundations, the proper implementation of property recovery and preservation laws, the construction of places of worship for minorities in educational institutes and the allocation of prayer rooms in hostels, the modernisation of the Board of Sanskrit and Pali Education, and a five-day holiday for the Durga Puja festival.
The Sanatan Jagaran Mancha first held a rally on 10 August. However, the Bangladesh Army’s Sena Bahini then detained Arko for questioning, releasing him after 24 hours.
Arko faces allegations of political affiliation with the Awami League—which he denies.
“I have never been a part of any political organisation or figure, nor will I ever be. Even now, we are not part of any political group. I believe these accusations are only to end the movement. But we will not stop until our demands are met. We are ready for everything, be it jail or julum (cruelty)”, Arko added.
While a previous rally on 4 October saw reduced attendance due to heavy rains, the mancha is planning another rally on 15 November. It aims to gauge the willingness of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to engage in dialogue about their demands and is giving the government time.
Arko expressed hope, noting that the interim government increased holidays for Durga Puja from one to two days. He also said that the government has assured security for all those who participated in the July protest movement and proper justice for those who lost their lives.
‘India is our friend’
According to the recent 2022 census, Hinduism ranks as the second-largest religious affiliation in Bangladesh, with roughly 13.1 million individuals identifying as Hindus in a population of 165.16 million. So, Hindus account for about 7.95 percent of the population, establishing them as the largest minority group in the country.
The Hindu community in Bangladesh largely views India as a friend. Arka acknowledged that while the Indian government has not supported the community openly, “India is our only friend.”
“Many of our people fled to India after 5 August. Where else can we go? Although the Modi government has not supported us openly, unlike he does for others, and we do not expect him to, India is our only friend,” Arko said.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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