Online Desk:
Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad today called on the government, law enforcers, and political parties to refrain from any form of violence.
Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of the council, said, “In the current political situation of the country, the religious and ethnic minority communities are deeply anxious. In the past, we have seen minority communities being subjected to persecution during the regimes of Ayub Khan and Ershad.
“To prevent any form of violence targeting minority communities in this politically volatile situation, we urge the government, law enforcement agencies, all political parties, and conscientious citizens of society to refrain from engaging in any form of aggression,” he said during a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity today.
He also said that before the 2018 national elections, Awami League announced in its manifesto several self-serving commitments to minorities. However, these commitments have not been implemented despite the Oikya Parishad and its affiliate Oikya Mancha initiating discussions and protests between February 2022 and September 2023.
He expressed disappointment that despite the government’s promise to form a national minority commission, no progress has been made on this front, which is highly distressing and disappointing for the religious and ethnic minority communities.
He urged the government and members of parliament to present and pass the bill for the formation of the commission in the upcoming session of the 11th National Parliament.
Rana noted that the large political gatherings of various political parties held in Dhaka on October 28 had created concerns among the general public, and in reality, it gave rise to a form of political violence.
Taking into consideration the conflict-prone situation in national politics, the parishad and Oikya Mancha have decided to reschedule the historic Suhrawardy gathering to November 17, he said.
Neem Chandra Bhowmik, one of the presidents of the council, also spoke at the press conference.
