Blasphemy violence aftermath, Hindus in Bangladesh threaten protests with vengeance

The recent violence on Hindus which saw the burning down of 30 of their houses has already got India’s attention with none other than Sushma Swaraj saying that Bangladesh has promised compensation to the victims and action against the perpetrators.

However, the ground situation is dire, notwithstanding any assurances from either India or Bangladesh government, as it became clear in the today held Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote’s press conference.

On the 10th November a rumor was floated that a Hindu man has defamed Islam through a Facebook post. The local Muslims then ganged up and attacked the Hindu houses and looted many houses. At least 30 houses were burnt down at the Thakurpara village in the Rangpur Sadar of Bangladesh.

In the press conference, it was reminded to the press that this was the same modus operandi which the perpetrators had employed during the 2016 ‘s Diwali attacks at the Nasir Nagar Police Station of Brahmanbaria district. In that case also the Hindu man was later found to be not guilty by the police after his arrest in Blasphemy made international headlines with Amnesty International getting into action. However, due to lack of interest by media, these attacks rarely stay in the limelight for long clearing the way for the perpetrators to continue with their acts at leisure.

Black Diwali for Bangladesh Hindu community as extreme violence by Islamists mar celebrations (pics)

Hindu Mohajote’s press conference reiterated that Hindus in Bangladesh are always living life in a panic and also lambasted the government for not taking even one effective measuresto ensure their protection. The organization’s secretary-general Govinda Pramanik read out the written discourse for the organization at the press conference while the former Vice-Chancellor of the National University Dr Durga Das Bhattacharya, senior vice president Manik Sarker and international Affairs Secretary Ripon Dey were also present.

Pictures from the conference:

Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, Ripon Dey, Blasphemy atatck, Sheikh Hasina,

Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, Ripon Dey, Blasphemy atatck, Sheikh Hasina,

Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, Ripon Dey, Blasphemy atatck, Sheikh Hasina,

Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajote, Ripon Dey, Blasphemy atatck, Sheikh Hasina,

The Hindu organization reiterated that the level of ongoing torture of Hindu minority in Bangladesh was breaking all records of past and that it was a deeper conspiracy to remove all Hindus from Bangladesh with a series of brutal attacks, vandalism, looting and arson.

It also said that if there had been a fair trial of the atrocities committed on the Hindu community in the past, then those who were involved in this latest violence wouldn’t be so daring.

In response to the question on who the Hindu leaders felt could be held responsible for this attack, the leaders said that the government wants to gain mileage by shifting the blame on others, but they saw:

“That Awami League activists are also directly involved with BNP Jamaat in Ramu, Nasirnagar, Abhay Nagar, Feni, Dinajpur and other Hindu torture incidents. District Head leaders including Awami League MPs were involved in the attack in Nasir Nagar. So, we think that the government should arrest the accused immediately and bring them under the law without blaming others.” (sic)

The Hindu leaders blamed the government for creating an environment where Hindu community was under distress and blamed it on actions such as the forcible removal of the  Chief Justice of Bangladesh (who happens to be a Hindu) and also of the acquittal of the High Court of the Chhatra League leaders who were involved in the killing of Hindu man Biswajit.

It was announced in the conference that if the Bangladesh government does not arrest the attackers in this latest violence and if it does not announce the trial of the attackers at the anti-humanitarian crime tribunal by November 16, then mass protest rallies will be held in the district and upazila cities throughout the country including in Dhaka on Friday, 17th November, under the leadership of the Hindu Mohajote.

Namta Gupta