The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council and the Puja Celebration Council have addressed an open letter to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the interim government, calling for immediate action to halt the ongoing communal violence in Bangladesh.
In their letter, the organizations highlight that since the student-citizen uprising, there have been incidents of communal violence across 52 districts. This violence has instilled deep fear, anxiety, and uncertainty among minority communities nationwide. They are urging an urgent resolution to this crisis.
The letter was presented at a press conference titled “Open Letter to Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate for Peace, on Protecting the Rights and Safety of Minorities,” held at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity this morning.
Nirmal Rosario, a key leader of the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, read the letter. He stated, “The sacrifices and efforts of the student-citizen movement have ignited a spirit of renewal in Bangladesh. This spirit must not be extinguished, and the legacy of our Liberation War must be preserved. It is deeply troubling to see certain groups spreading unprecedented violence against minorities, tarnishing our achievements as we move towards our ultimate goal.”
According to the letter, organizational reports and media sources indicate that thousands of Hindu families have been displaced and lost everything due to the communal violence affecting at least 52 districts. The letter further details, “Many temples have been attacked and burned, numerous women have been victimized, and there have been incidents of murder in some areas. Other minority communities have also suffered. This violence, which began on August 5, continues unabated, spreading profound fear and uncertainty among minorities and drawing international criticism. We urgently seek an end to this situation.”
The letter also notes attempts to alert the President, Chief of Army Staff, student leaders, and various political figures about the ongoing violence. “While these leaders have called for an end to the attacks on minorities, the situation has regrettably deteriorated over the past three days. As you begin your role as Chief Advisor, we respectfully present our concerns and urge that you and your government address this crisis with the utmost urgency to prevent the tarnishing of the student-citizen movement’s victory and to end the suffering of religious and ethnic minority communities.”
The press conference was chaired by Basudeb Dhar, President of the Puja Celebration Council. Kajol Devnath, a member of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council’s presidium, responded to questions from journalists. He emphasized that any national incident often leads to increased attacks and persecution of minorities.
Subrata Choudhury, another presidium member of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, criticized the lack of effective measures to stop the communal violence, which has persisted since August 5.
The conference was moderated by Manindra Kumar Nath, Joint Secretary of the Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council, who called for a thorough investigation and justice for all recent incidents of communal violence.
Ranjan Karmakar, a presidium member, also addressed the conference. Attendees included Nimchandra Bhowmik, one of the Council’s Presidents, and presidium members J.L. Bhowmik, among others.
