Kolkata: Expressing concern over a series of attacks on Hindus and other communities in Bangladesh, West Bengal Congress President Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury today said he has written to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and urged Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to use her cordial relationship with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to address the issue.
"Communal forces in Bangladesh have been systematically targeting the minorities including Hindu, Christian and Buddhists and secular and liberal minded citizens. Yesterday, we came to know that the Hindu priest at Ramkrishna Mission in Dhaka received a death threat. We are concerned about the present situation in Bangladesh. I have written a letter to External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj in this regard," Chowdhury said adding that he has full faith in Bangladesh government.
Referring to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's alleged silence over the issue, the state Congress President said, "Everyone knows the bond shared between West Bengal and Bangladesh. And the coordial relationship that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee shares with the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We have not heard about any active response from Banerjee so far," Chowdhury said.
Chowdhury also said West Bengal being a neighbouring state (of Bangladesh) should be careful about the rise of communal forces (BJP and RSS) in the state.
"Bengal being a neighbouring state should be careful about the rise of communal forces in our state too. The state government is maintaining a complete silence on this matter.
"The state government remains unfazed on this matter as there is a got-up game between TMC and BJP," he said.
Chowdhury's comment comes in the backdrop of a special resolution that was adopted at the party's two-day state executive meeting yesterday where it was alleged that activists of the fundamentalist organisations like Jamaat, driven out from Bangaldesh, were getting shelter in West Bengal.
The resolution called upon the TMC government to see to it that the state did not become a safe haven for terrorists and fundamentalist forces.
