OPINION | Atrocities on Bangladesh Hindus: Does Yunus govt fear fundamentalists?
Islamic jihadists then attacked shops and homes of Hindus in Thakurgaon, Kotwali and Tiger Pass localities of Chattogram. They beat up Hindus, but policemen remained mute spectators. Later army was deployed to maintain peace.
Islamic fundamentalist groups, chanting anti-Hindu slogans, vandalized and threw brickbats at three Hindu temples, Santaneshwari Matri Temple, Shani Temple and Santaneshwari Kali Temple, in Chattogram city of Bangladesh on Friday. They broke the gates and structures of the temples. Islamic jihadists then attacked shops and homes of Hindus in Thakurgaon, Kotwali and Tiger Pass localities of Chattogram. They beat up Hindus, but policemen remained mute spectators. Later army was deployed to maintain peace.
In Dhaka, thousands of jihadists came out on the streets demanding ban on ISKCON. The rally was organized by Hefazat-e-Islam, Hizbut Tahrir and Jamaat-e-Islami. The rally began from Baitul Muqarram, the largest mosque, after Jumma prayers.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh government's Financial Intelligence Unit has frozen bank accounts of 17 people for 30 days. These include jailed monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, all linked to ISKCON. In Kolkata, ISKCON vice-president Radha Raman Das said, their outfit members are having problems in looking after their daily needs.
The developments had their effects in neighbouring West Bengal. In Kolkata, Indian Secular Front workers staged a protest outside Bangladesh Deputy High Commission demanding a stop to atrocities on Hindus. Indian Secular Front is led by Maulana Abbas Siddiqui of Furfura Sharif shrine. Vishwa Hindu Parishad supporters all staged protests in Kolkata.
In the House of Commons, British Conservative Party MP Bob Blackman demanded that the UK government should intervene. He alleged that innocent peaceloving members of ISKCON are being targeted by Islamic jihadists and Hindus are being subjected to atrocities. Their properties are being looted and this must end, he added.
In Indian Parliament, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in a written reply, said Indian government has spoken to Bangladesh authorities to ensure protection for Hindus and other minorities. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, Indian government was worried about the developments in Bangladesh since the ouster of PM Sheikh Hasina. He expressed hope that Bangladesh courts will ensure justice for jailed ISKCON monk Chinmoy Das.
RSS Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale in a statement on Saturday demanded immediate halt to atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh and release of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Das from jail. Hosabale appealed to Indian government to rouse world opinion in order to pressurise Bangladesh government to ensure protection for Hindus.
It is a fact that the government of India is very much concerned about the conditions of Hindus living in Bangladesh. A top-level meeting between Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval took place on Thursday to decide about measures to be taken. Since the issue relates to a neighbouring country, diplomatic channels are being used to put pressure on the Bangladesh interim government.
The problem is: Mohammad Yunus, who heads the interim government, is under intense pressure from Islamic fundamentalists and fears them. After mobs indulged in violence to unseat Sheikh Hasina from power, other parties and leaders have started fearing mobs. Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam, after gaining control on the interim government, are now resorting to violence. Their workers fear neither the police, nor the army. They do not bother about Bangladesh's world image. It seems that putting a stop to atrocities on Hindus in Bangladesh may take time.
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