Rights of minorities
Photo: Foysal Mahmud / driknews
I am disturbed by the contrast between the frequent assurances that the racial and religious minorities in Bangladesh are treated honourably and tolerantly and the numerous examples of quite different behaviour that I have come across personally in my years here or read about in your columns - and, so far, have been silent about. These included several murders which got minimal publicity and, usually, no follow-up. On November 30th, you reported two situations, one in Aluari village, Dinajpur and another in Shyamnagar, Satkhira. Mention of the damaging of 'a church' in one of them indicates the village was Christian and in the other one, the community concerned included Hindus. I wish to know whether the Ministry of Religious Affairs has any staff coming from the minority religions and indigenous communities who can share in the investigation of cases involving the inflicting of suffering on minorities by actions that include injuring people, confiscating land and destroying valuable crops, trees and homes. However, the worst suffering is surely the helplessness of those whom the local authorities, including the police, refuse to defend against such behaviour so they are made to feel that they are not considered valued citizens of the country with equal rights. There was a time, when faced with the sexual harassment of stalkers and others, people shrugged their shoulders and said that nothing could be done. Thank God, the country is leaving behind such a feeble attitude and the law is beginning to be invoked with good effect.
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