Bangladesh minority front condemns atrocities, urges acceptance of eight-point demand

By Masud Karim
Dhaka [Bangladesh], November 2 : A minority alliance in Bangladesh on Saturday condemned the atrocities against Hindus and other minority communities after the August 5 uprising and urged the interim government to accept an eight-point demand.

The alliance also proposed six points for the reconstruction of a non-discriminatory state and society.

Songkhaloghu Okkoyamurcha, the united minority front, comprising the 40 minority organizations in Bangladesh raised their voice at a grand rally in Central Shaheed Minar in the capital Dhaka. The group also held rallies in all the cities and district towns simultaneously across Bangladesh. More than 20,000 people gathered in the Central Shaheed Minar in the afternoon. They chanted slogans to protect the minorities.

The minority front said that the minority community across Bangladesh has been facing atrocities, including arson, vandalism, looting, forced occupation, murder, rape, threats of exile, and extrajudicial killings under the guise of mob justice since August 5.
The minority leaders said they would continue their movement until the 8-point demand was fulfilled. They announced the fresh programs of their movement. New programs are a flag procession on November 30 and dawn to dusk mass protest. The rally was started by singing Bangladesh's national anthem and ended with a procession.
The leaders said the minority community is not well in Bangladesh. Speakers asked "Amar Desh", a Bengali daily newspaper, editor Mahmudur Rahman to apologize within seven days for his comment to ban ISKCON in Bangladesh.
The demands included legislation for protection of minorities, formation of National Minority Commission and Minority Ministries, expeditious transfer of land to owners and occupants in light of Tribunal judgments by removing all bureaucratic hurdles in proper implementation of Restitution of Entrusted Property Act, ensuring participation and representation in government, parliament, and all representative bodies in proportion to the population.
The demands also included enactment of law for the preservation of patrimonial property, enact anti-discrimination laws, proper implementation of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Agreement and the proper enforcement of the Three Hill district Council Act and the Chittagong Hill Tact Regional Council Act, three days of Durga Puja for Hindu community, one day for Prabarana Purnima for Buddhist Community and one day Easter Sunday to be declared as public holidays.
Two months ago, a student-led movement ousted Bangladesh's Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, after weeks of protests and clashes that killed over 600 people. Sheikh Hasina came to India on August 5 and an interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus was formed.
Recently, former US President Donald Trump condemned the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and criticized President Biden administration for their reluctant over the issue.
"I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos", Trump wrote on X.
"It would be never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America", he added.
The group raised six-point proposal including taking steps to remove the existing discrimination in reading from the holy scripture at the beginning of all state functions and every session of Parliament from all the scriptures.