On Friday, thousands of Hindu activists gathered at the historic Laldighi Maidan in Chittagong for a rally organized by the Sanatan Jagran Manch, demanding enhanced rights and security measures for religious minorities from Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus. The demonstrators, vowing to continue their movement until their eight-point demands are met, called for urgent action to address minority grievances, according to The Times of India.
Key demands included the establishment of a tribunal for expedited trials of crimes against minorities, compensation and rehabilitation for victims, and the immediate enactment of a minority protection law. The activists also called for a dedicated minority affairs ministry, prayer spaces in educational institutions, and the elevation of Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian welfare trusts to foundations. Other demands included proper implementation of the Property Recovery and Preservation Act and modernization of the existing Sanskrit and Pali education board. They further requested a five-day holiday for Durga Puja.
Sanatan Jagaran Mancha organised a massive rally in Chittagong , Bangladesh yesterday, calling for minority rights and security. pic.twitter.com/VpFY9DV7RI
— taslima nasreen (@taslimanasreen) October 26, 2024
In a gesture of acknowledgment, Bangladesh’s Environment Minister Syeda Rizwana Hasan announced a two-day Durga Puja holiday marking the first time such an extended holiday has been observed in the nation.
This protest is one of the largest Hindu gatherings since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in early August. Reports indicate a rise in incidents like vandalism and physical attacks targeting minority communities since the interim government assumed power, despite its commitments to protect minority rights. Yunus, however, has downplayed these reports, claiming that the crimes have been exaggerated and are largely political rather than communal.